#And everything is gonna crash and burn for a bit. God I can't wait to put this lamb in a FUCKING blender

[the-one-who-lambs]

bamsara's ramble about their own au has me thinking about Risen Lamb/Fallen God Lambert and their issues but I wanna finish revising the other smutfic i went back to edit today because I'm almost done w it nyway ARGH

[nosecrinklewrites]

kylux who dated as teens, but it crashed and burned. when the worst of the animosity passed, they became friends again. they both have absolutely terrible taste in people and go through one bad relationship after the other.

in their thirties, they're both burned out. after hux's last and final disaster, they make an oath to never date again. it doesn't take long for kylo to get antsy. going on dates has been his main hobby for a long time. being free on friday night doesn't sit well with him. hux suggests kylo take him out. they're friends, so it won't be awkward. they already know each other, so they can both be themselves and hux doesn't mind being kylo's plus one, for whatever nonsense he wants to go to. it takes a lot of effort for kylo to not put his hands on hux. being tactile is a big part of how kylo flirts and even though they're friend-dates and not date-dates, kylo has a hard time stopping. hux has spent a lifetime watching kylo flirt – been on the receiving end as well – and is well aware. he can tell kylo feels bad and tells him to just go ahead and do it. it's not like it's gonna lead anywhere. if touching him makes kylo happy, then why not?

it goes well for a number of weeks. every friday, kylo takes hux somewhere new. they hang out, they have fun (kylo drapes himself all over hux). it's all the fun of dating, without the anxiety of whether or not they're a good match – there will always be another date. the lack of sex isn't a problem, per se. kylo has been single for extended periods of time before. he invests in a couple of new toys; it's not a problem.

until it sort of is.

spending every friday night watching hux suck on bottle necks and tumbler rims makes his mind wander.

"i miss kissing," he says, apropos of nothing. hux raises his eyebrow in question, after draining his glass. "are you a good kisser?"

"if this is you hitting on me–"

"it's not."

hux makes a considering sound. "i don't think i was bad when you and i ... you know. but i'd like to think i'm better now. by the looks of it, you are, too."

kylo grins. "been watching me kiss, have you?"

hux snorts. "hard not to, sometimes. you have no sense of propriety." kylo feels his cheeks heat up. "you're not as aggressive as you used to be. with me."

"yeah, well," kylo clears his throat, "you always complained about that."

"you never did take criticism well."

"you were my first kiss!" kylo says defensively.

hux considers him for a moment and smirks, "your first everything."

"oh, my god, you need to let that go," he groans. "i'm getting drinks. so many drinks – want a refill?"

"yes, please." kylo lets himself take a breather at the bar, but hux is still smirking when he gets back.

"thank you, darling," he says, sugary sweet.

kylo pulls the glass back out of reach, says, "don't pull that with me."

"pull what?" he damn near pouts.

"i never understood how you could do that," kylo says and hands over the tumbler, "hide how much of an asshole you really are."

hux shrugs. "pretending is easy when it's all you've ever done." he tries to brush it off, let the comment slide, but he has never been able to do that; not with hux.

"did you do that with me? aside from the obvious times, i mean."

hux looks at him and he can't get himself to breathe until hux replies.

"i don't think i did, no." kylo sits down next to him; closer than before he got up. hux runs a hand through his hair, says, "i never felt the need to do that with you." before kylo has a chance to reply, hux huffs, "you always saw right through me anyway."

"i don't think that's true. i just saw you." kylo grimaces. he can't tell if it's the alcohol or the countless dates they've been on, but, "i still compare every fucking relationship to us – to you. how fucked up is that? it's been twenty years."

hux looks ten shades of startled and sounds a bit rough when he says, "i don't think that's healthy – wait, what do you mean twenty?"

kylo frowns. "when we met?"

hux has had too much to drink to do math, but he closes his eyes and tries. "twenty. that's– that's a year before we started dating?"

"so?"

"what you're saying is you've been comparing every person you've ever dated to sixteen year old me? is this some– some convoluted way of saying you wanna get back together? you're a lying prick, kylo ren. this is you hitting on me!"

"so what if i am? would that be so bad?" he regrets it the moment the words leave his mouth, but charges on, "i know how stupid that is! i do! we were kids, but no one has ever loved me the way you did. i should've moved on years ago, but when have i ever done what i was supposed to? i'm stupid, hux, you know that–"

"kylo, stop."

"no! i should've told you fucking ages ago! i never should've let you break up with me–"

he doesn't get to finish before he has a lap full of intoxicated ex-boyfriend, enthusiastically trying to suck his tongue out of his mouth. "you're the most stupid man i've ever met."

kylo groans. no one does dirty talk like hux. the last time he had hux in his lap, hux was bigger than him. he holds on as tightly as he can, savouring every bit of it. "you promise?"

"i promise," hux says in between kisses. "no one makes my blood boil like you do."

kylo moans, already counting down the seconds till they'll be told to leave. "come home with me?"

"after only eleven dates?" hux hums. "a bit presumptuous, wouldn't you say?"

"grab your coat."

"what?"

kylo stands up and hux squeals. he bends down enough for hux to reach his coat and leaves the bar, with hux on his hip.

"where are you taking me?" hux asks, surprisingly fine with being carried like a toddler. "somewhere i can take your pants off without getting yelled at."

"i will yell at you," hux points out.

"i sure hope so," he grins.

.

x-posted to twitter

[swiftiethatlovesf1]

One of your boys

Heyy guyss, let me know if you get the song I used as inspiration for this (tease)reader x (needy)Lando and if you want to read more stories here's my masterlist :)

Lando’s POV

Everybody loves you, babe. You're funny, nice—so sweet it hurts. That’s all I can think about as I stand here in the VIP section, watching you from across the club. You're in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by your friends, laughing and moving like you're in your own world. God, I wish I was the only one who could see you like this. I bet nobody could love you the way I can.

I take another sip of my drink, my eyes locked on you. I can't stop staring. Then I hear Carlos beside me, breaking through my thoughts.

“You should talk to her, mate. If you wait too long, someone else will.”

Carlos's words hit hard. He’s right. If I keep standing here, hoping for something to happen, it’ll be too late. She could slip right through my fingers.

I put my glass down, the ice clinking as I set it on the table. This is it. No more waiting. I’m done watching you from afar. Tonight, I’m going to take my shot.

The music pulses through the floor, the bass thumping in your chest as you dance with your friends. The night feels like a blur of lights and movement, but even through the haze, you can feel it—Lando's eyes on you. It’s been like this all night, that intense gaze of his burning into your back.

But before you can turn to meet it, those eyes are replaced by a pair of familiar hands on your waist, pulling you closer as you keep moving to the rhythm.

“Haven’t you had enough of watching, Lan? Decided you wanted a taste?” you tease, still swaying to the music. You don’t need to see his face to know he’s smiling, but you can feel the way his grip tightens on your waist, holding you against him.

“Everybody wants you, baby," he murmurs against your ear, his voice low. "But I bet nobody wants you as bad as I do.” With that, he spins you around to face him, his eyes locked on yours, dark and full of something more than just desire.

You raise a brow, pulling him in closer as you drag your fingers up his chest. “And how are you gonna plead your case?” you ask, your lips grazing his neck as you speak, feeling his body tense under your touch.

“Fuck, Y/N,” he breathes out, his hands tightening on your hips. “Say what you want, and I’ll keep it a secret. Or call me whenever you need me—I can be like one of your boys if you ever get desperate.”

You smile against his skin, enjoying the way he reacts to every teasing touch. But as the game between you two comes to an end, you finally pull back just enough to look into his eyes, your lips brushing his.

“And what if I want you to be my only boy, Lan?” you whisper, your breath mixing with his before closing the space between you, your lips finally crashing into his.

The moment her lips touch mine, everything else fades away. It's like the world goes silent, and the only thing I can hear is the rush of my heartbeat in my ears. She tastes just as sweet as she looks—like Malibu, sugary and smooth, with a bit of a kick that leaves me craving more. My hands slide up her back, pulling her even closer, and for a second, I feel like I could stay in this moment forever.

I kiss her back with everything I’ve got, like I’ve been waiting for this—hell, I have been waiting for this. Every stolen glance, every moment I caught myself staring at her when I shouldn’t have—it all led to this. And now that I finally have her in my arms, it feels even better than I imagined.

But just as quickly as it started, she pulls back, leaving me breathless and wanting more. I blink, trying to steady myself, still reeling from the taste of her on my lips. Then she smirks, that playful glint in her eyes that drives me crazy.

"Give me your phone," she says, holding her hand out.

I fumble for my phone, still dazed from the kiss, and hand it over without a second thought. She taps a few things on the screen before handing it back, her number saved, and next to it—my boy.

She looks up at me, eyes sparkling. "There. You're officially my boy now."

Before I can even process what’s happening, she gives me one last look, that smirk still tugging at her lips, and turns to leave. I just stand there, watching her walk away, my phone in hand, her number glowing on the screen like it’s a damn trophy.

I'm frozen in place, my mind spinning. Did that just happen? Did we just happen? My heart’s still racing, my lips still tingling, and all I can think is how I got so lucky tonight.

She’s mine now. She's got the key to my heart and I don't mind.

[batsplat]

your top 5 philip island races 🙏

okay all five of these are very close together. to be clear

2004: putting this first fundamentally comes down to whether you're a duel or dogfight girl, and I'm the former. like, I love a great dogfight, I love chaos, I know phillip island specifically is all about multi-rider scraps, but as a person I'm just really about the psychological tension and drama of a one-on-one fight. especially between two people who despise each other. this is the penultimate race of the season, valentino's matchpoint race and also his first fight with sete post-qatar. the whole race is excellent but the first lap and last lap... transcendental

2017: practically a comfort watch by this point. it's so... ferocious, unrestrained, it also has a great post-divorce battle between valentino and marc buried within the dogfight that instantly elevates it for the viciousness. another one with big championship implications, which adds some fun stakes to just how hard they're going at it. also, I fondly remember watching this live early in the morning and going 'oh god they're gonna crash oh god they're gonna crash WHAT IF VALENTINO RUINS MARC'S CHAMPIONSHIP WHAT THEN' which quite frankly was such a special time

2015: another thrilling one in the category of proper dogfight. honestly these three middle ones are quite tricky to rank because, well, they're all great fun. I don't like,, enjoy watching the actual fighting quite as much as I do with 2017, though obviously the fantastic last lap does elevate this one. and the first few laps are really fun!! that poor seagull. plus the whole sword of damocles feel, the narrative implications of the whole thing are again. very pleasing. I think I kinda needed jorge/valentino to actually Fight Each Other a bit more, but I suppose the whole point of that season is that they didn't

2001: it says something about the quality of phillip island races that I'm ranking this absolute banger fourth. this is valentino's first matchpoint race, first premier class title, and it's super pleasing in how you're frequently readjusting your expectations of how this race is going to go? excellent momentum shifts. it's got the most pleasing narrative conclusion too, with the dogfight becoming a duel between the title contenders right at the end. valentino doesn't need to overtake biaggi for the win to take the championship, but can he resist... (no.) I think the main reason this is no higher than fourth is that by this point the title is basically wrapped up, but there is also something fun in how badly valentino wanted to win the race anyways. always got to be so dramatic about everything

2003: I was about to say 2023, but then I had the 'wait what the fuck I can't leave out 2003' moment. the issue is that this is... well it's a different flavour of pleasure than these other races, right. but also it'd be fundamentally dishonest of me to leave this out, because I DO get one hell of a kick from watching it and have done so an unhealthy number of times. you've got the early vicious dogfight, then you've got that lull out front while the dogfight for the remaining podium places rages and then you've got the penalty announcement. you've got the dogfight for the final podium position to keep you entertained on the action front, you've got the slow burn pleasure of watching valentino pull out increasingly silly laps, and then you've got the ghost bike extra-dimensional warfare commentators to pull the whole thing together into a unique race watch experience

honorary mentions!! 2023 (this was such a blast to watch live, like the way the story of the race gradually changed and you had this brutal fight and this building tension because you just knew that Those Tyres Were Being Shredded and then it all comes together... last lap is so so good); 2022 (just pure pure chaos, you kinda felt like half the grid was involved in the dogfight for the lead at one point or another, just never knew what was going to happen next, plus the last lap is a lot of fun and with a very deserved winner); 2009 (dude I felt so bad not including one of the many casey wins but genuinely which of these races would I kick out. this one is his most 'exciting' win and obviously massive championship implications, but also it's very much the being edged of watching a motogp duel in that a fight constantly threatens but doesn't actually ever get going); 2008 (objectively one of the better phillip island races in casey's tenure but like. unfortunately he's just too good at these, and the most exciting thing going on here is valentino working his way up from 12th. sorry casey if you just went slower then you'd be featured more on this list); 2006 (first flag to flag race!! ever!! absolute chaos all the way through, constant chopping and changing of the championship picture. last lap duel between Old Enemies I'm fond of for sentimental reasons); 2013 (marc's race still makes me mad if I think about it for more than two seconds, but the whole experience is also inarguably chaotic enough and dumb enough to be a lot of fun to watch); 2011 (at least Making It Wet was one somewhat interesting way to mix up casey's domination and spook him a little bit, but ultimately obviously he did the thing again - sentimental value because he sealed the title on his home race at his birthday)

[chibi-pix]

Chibi watches V3D 01

Heyo, lovelies! Been a while since my last "Chibi watches", huh? Well, I'm back. And we'll see how long I can do this because I've got Voltron: The Third Dimension to get through. And. Well. It may be an episode at a time thing. Now, as a preface to this, here's a couple things. I have seen an episode for certain courtesy of @lion-time suggesting one to me. And it's possible that I may have seen an episode or so as a kid with my little brother; but I've been hit in the head way too many times over the years, I can't be sure. There were a handful of CGI shows we would catch on weekends visiting Grammy. Anyway, without further ado, let's see if I remember how to do these watches.

Anyway. Episode 1. Something about Bastille-12.

I don't have much to say about the intro and battle. Sorry 'bout that. And by not having much, I mean I have absolutely nothing.

And. Seeing Zarkon? I just don't trust him being good. Something feels off. And if I'm right or wrong, please do not spoil it. And watching him move and sway. Like, dude? You acting like you're all that and a bag of chips with swagger. What the hell, man? Well, whatever. You do you. But it is nice seeing him move around instead of just sitting on his throne for the most part in DotU. Good on you for finally getting up. It's good for you.

And Lotor. Didn't miss you, man. "But he's not gonna win any beauty contests." Damn, Zarkon, I knew you were a jerk to your son, but still. "If you don't wanna talk to me, I brought someone who is a lot prettier." Ooh, self burn? But he's not wrong. Though, I gotta admit, I'm not too used to/big on this CGI style, but I do like how he looks in it.

Allura speaking and offering friendship and peace. Feels forced. Honey, I like to think there's good in folks, but... this is Lotor. A toxic bastard. There's no helping him.

And hearing Lotor speak. I'm just... Look. Don't get me wrong, I love the actor. But I for the life of me cannot hear Lotor. I only hear Tim Curry.

With the team retired, it feels nice seeing Lance doing stunt shows. And his piloting through the course, it reminds me of my childhood of playing Star Fox on the Super Nintendo (yeah, I'm getting old, I know). Except he's good at it. I always crashed. Of course, I spoke too soon with that one when he got ballsy and crashed. I'm actually not surprised. And I appreciate his sass. Gotta love that attitude a bit.

Poor Pidge feeling old. Buddy, wait until VF, then you can feel a little old. Not that you being 24 there is old. "Will you sign my jpeg?" Gods, that comment. I was gonna ask, "What is this, the 90s?" because that felt like a 90s comment and... uh... this came out late 90s, didn't it?

But, overall? I did enjoy seeing Hunk and Pidge. But poor Hunk didn't have his headband. C'mon, creators! Why'd you take his headband!?

Ah, Keith on his little solo mission. And I love Lance sneaking on. Also, watching Lance, does he have a tiny ponytail? Awww! And Keith giving in and letting Lance join. “Alright Lance, I’ll take you along. I don’t know what I’m gonna tell the high command.” “Tell them I’m your little brother. Mom said you have to take me along.” This dialogue made me giggle. I love it.

And seeing the portal open, my first thought is a wormhole. Okay, that may be my VLD coming in.

“What?! You brought me out here on a ship with no blasters?” “I didn’t bring you out here; you snuck onto my ship.” Ah, more sassy dialogue. I love it. And Keith calling it a "vector jump", I just wanna call it a hyper jump.

What is with Coran's appearance? Go figure. And it's almost amusing at how ready he is to shoot the others down. Not that I blame him. He just wants to protect the castle. "It's changing course! As if some power is guiding it." Ah, welcome to the 90s, with cheesy yet oddly amusing dialogue.

"Still crashing into everything. "You really ought to let me give you a flying lesson." Damn, Allura. But perfect.

"Cut the trip down memory lane, Pidge." Awww! C'mon, Lance! Let Pidge have his memories! He deserves to have memories and be happy about them. Or maybe that's just the part of me who loves stories and memories. I love Hunk just yeeting the equipment to the side. "We'd go to the end of the universe for you, Princess." Hunk, you're adorable.

"You always were kind of a bucket head, Lotor." Okay, look, I'm a Pidge supporter. But. That tone and comment. He's a bit of a little shit, isn't he? And his actions and teasing to get a reaction out of Lotor. I mean... Hmm. Well, in time I'll get more about this Pidge.

And seeing Lotor escaped? That doesn't surprise me.

"Ah gee, we'd love to stay and help you panic, but we better go catch up with our friends. See ya!" Hunk wasting no time. I love it.

Lance calling that robot dude a glorified calculator made me grin. That's the sort of thing I'd say, too. I love it. And I support him going off. Yeah, man! Screw the orders! You do you, man! His team better go and help him. They're a team. They shouldn't listen to orders telling them to stand down. They're the defenders of the universe for a reason.

Well, how about that. Going through the episode. Twice. I turned it on for my initial watch and for notes, and turned it on again while writing this. Go figure how I survived watching the episode twice in a row. But, here I am.

Anyway, that is the first Chibi Watches for this series. Hopefully I can get myself to watch more episodes over time. It'll be slow going, but I've got this. Hopefully. Wish me luck. Until next time!

[mjonthetrack]

chosen

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: I BIT HIM

“—I fucking bit him!” Teni’s voice came through the phone, jagged and panicked, the words breaking apart as she screamed into the speaker.

“Teni?” Amina’s voice cracked, her hand flying to her ear. Kemi was already on her feet, eyes wide.

“I told him! I fucking told him not to push me!” Teni’s voice was strained, the desperation in her tone cutting through the static.

“He pushed me, he fucking pushed me, and I—I lost it, I bit him! I bit him like—like—” She choked on her words, her breath coming out in harsh gasps.

The sounds of something heavy crashing to the floor came through the speaker, followed by the distinct smash of something expensive shattering against a wall.

“Fuck! Fuck! I didn’t mean to! He kept going! I—I couldn't stop!” Teni was screaming now, her voice cracking as she slammed another object, the sound of it breaking just as violently as her composure. “I fucked him! I fucked him and he pushed me, and now he’s out! I bit him, Amina! I fucking bit him, and now he’s not moving—he’s—he’s out cold, and I can’t—I can't feel him—he’s not awake, his pulse is fucking faint, and—*"

Kemi was trying to keep it together, but her voice was low, almost too calm. “Teni, where are you?”

“I’m at my place! Just—just fucking get over here! Someone get him up, or I swear to god, I’m gonna lose it!” The panic was suffocating her words. “He pushed me to the point where I had no control left—he made me bite him—and now he's—he's not waking up! He's fucking out—he’s supposed to be fine, but he’s not fine—and I don’t know if he’s dead or turning and I—”

There was a brief silence before the sound of another object crashing echoed through the phone, a heavy thud followed by a string of curses. “He pushed me until I couldn’t fucking take it anymore, I didn’t mean to—goddamn it! I didn't meanto!”

“Teni!” Amina’s voice came back sharp. “Take a breath, just breathe. We’re coming. You need to stay calm—”

“Calm?! How the fuck am I supposed to stay calm when I—” Teni’s voice faltered, a sob breaking through. “He’s not moving! I don’t know if it took! I bit him, and now I don’t know what the fuck to do—”

“Where the hell are you?” Kemi’s voice was cutting through the hysteria now. “Tell us where you are. We’re on our way.”

“I—I’m at my house, you don’t get it—he’s not waking up, and I’m not—”

Teni let out a choked scream of frustration. She threw the phone onto the couch, pacing the room. “He fucking pushed me, goddamn it, and now I can’t fix this—fuck, fuck, fuck!”

There was a pause on the other end, silence before the unmistakable sound of Amina’s voice broke through again.

“We’re coming, Teni. Just hold on, okay? Just don’t move him, don’t touch him, we’re right here. We’ll fix this. Just hold on.”

Teni’s voice cracked again. “I—I'm trying, I’m trying so hard, but I’m—he’s gonna fucking die, and it’s my fault, and I don’t know how to make it right—”

There was no more response, only the sound of Teni’s harsh breathing and the crackling silence.

CHAPTER FORTY: When They Got There

Amina didn’t even wait for the car to come to a full stop before yanking the door open. Gravel kicked up under her boots as she sprinted across the driveway, Kemi right behind her. The house looked normal from the outside. Too normal.

But the moment the front door swung open, everything changed.

Glass crunched underfoot. The air was thick with power, bloodlust, and the scent of distress so sharp it burned the back of the throat. A vase lay shattered by the entryway, the hallway lamp in splinters, couch cushions torn like they’d been clawed open. The living room looked like a war zone.

Sefa’s older brothers—Jey and Jimmy—came in right after the girls, eyes scanning the wreckage, the energy in the house hitting them hard and fast.

“Shit,” Jey muttered, eyes narrowing. “She lost it.”

They found her crumpled in the corner near the far wall, knees drawn to her chest, nails dug into her arms hard enough to draw blood. Her body shook, and her eyes—her eyes were glowing a deep, furious red, staring into nothing and everything all at once.

Kemi dropped to her knees beside her, voice soft but sharp, urgent. “Teni. Teni. We’re here. You gotta breathe, okay?”

Teni didn’t answer. Her breathing was rapid, panicked, like her lungs were working against her. Her mouth parted like she wanted to speak but couldn’t. A sob tore from her throat, wild and cracked.

Amina followed her gaze.

Sefa.

His body was laid out on the floor nearby, bare chest rising and falling shallowly, barely. Pale. Still. Unmoving.

“He’s still breathing,” Jimmy said quickly, crouching down and pressing two fingers to his neck. “Heart’s slow—but he’s alive.”

Teni flinched at the words, like they hurt her. Her claws scraped against her arms and she let out a strangled sound—part sob, part scream. “I bit him,” she whispered, voice hoarse and broken. “He wouldn’t stop—I told him—I told him, and he just kept fucking touching me and I bit him—”

“You didn’t kill him,” Jey said firmly, kneeling across from her. “You bit him. That’s not the same. You didn’t take too much.”

“I don’t know how much I took,” she hissed, baring her teeth, voice raw with fear. “I was losing it—he pushed and pushed and I tried—I tried so hard not to—”

Her eyes flicked to Sefa again. Something in her shattered all over again. “I didn’t mean to. I swear I didn’t mean to. He wouldn’t stop until—until I couldn’t stop—”

“We know,” Amina said, voice calm but urgent, reaching out and gripping her trembling hands. “We know, baby. He’s gonna be okay. You hear me? We’re not gonna let him go out like this.”

Teni shook her head like she didn’t believe any of them, like her own guilt had rooted itself deep in her chest and wouldn’t let go. She looked down at Sefa’s face again, tears brimming in her blood-red eyes.

“I didn’t want this,” she whispered. “I didn’t want him to be the one. Not like this.”

The others exchanged tense glances.

Because ready or not—he was the one now.

And nothing was ever going back to the way it was.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: The Ritual Was Never Meant For Her

Teni barely made it to the bathroom before her knees hit the tile, the taste of iron already rising up her throat. She choked, then vomited—blood, remnants of a meal she'd fed on days ago, bile laced through it like acid.

Her body trembled violently as she gripped the edge of the sink, knuckles white. The mirror showed her face pale and damp with sweat, her red-rimmed eyes wide and frantic, hair sticking to her skin. She spat into the sink and ripped open the drawer for her toothbrush, scrubbing furiously, tears tracking down her cheeks.

“I can’t—” Her voice cracked as she looked at herself, face-to-face with the monster she'd tried so hard to separate from her identity. “This isn’t right.”

She turned to the doorway where Amina and Kemi had followed, frozen in place, too stunned to speak yet. Teni pointed at them, the brush falling to the floor as her hands shook.

“Our kind… you know there’s a ritual. There’s supposed to be a process. It’s not meant to be like this.” Her voice rose in pitch, jagged with panic. “I wasn’t ever supposed to have anyone! That’s for you two, not me! Not me!”

“Teni—” Kemi started, stepping forward, eyes soft.

“No.” She backed away, slamming her shoulder into the wall. “It wasn’t supposed to go like that. It got so fucking intense, and the lines—they just blurred, and then my instincts were screaming and my fangs hurt so bad and I couldn’tstop.”

Her breath hitched. “I felt everything, I wanted everything, and now he’s—he’s in that room unconscious because I couldn’t fucking control myself.”

She looked at them, then at her bloodstained sink, at the chaos inside her. Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“I gotta get the fuck out of here.”

Before either woman could reach her, she was gone. A blur of motion, the sound of the front door slamming open and wind howling in her wake. She vanished into the night, desperate to outrun her guilt, her fear, and the terrifying truth sinking into her bones.

She’d bonded herself to him.

And there was no undoing it now.

Back inside, the twins and the women moved quietly, carrying Sefa’s unconscious body to the vehicle. Jey and Jimmy flanked him like sentries, their usually composed faces drawn with worry and something unspoken. Respect. Concern. Fear.

“He’s got hours before his body really starts to shift,” Jey muttered, steadying Sefa’s head. “We need to get him to the big house.”

Kemi nodded, eyes sweeping over the ruined living room. “He’ll need blood. And shelter. And someone to guide him when the instincts start.”

“And she can’t stay here anymore,” Jimmy said tightly, jaw clenched. “This house… it smells like her pain. It’s gonna wreck him when he wakes up.”

“She knew it,” Amina said softly. “That’s why she ran. She knew what she triggered.”

They loaded Sefa in silence, the weight of what had happened heavier than any of them wanted to admit. But it was too late to go back.

Their youngest was no longer human.

And the vampire who marked him had just run headfirst into the darkest part of herself.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO : THE WAIT

The big house was too quiet for comfort. No one spoke, not really. Every breath, every heartbeat, every distant sound from the woods outside pressed against the walls like a threat waiting to take shape. The air was thick—charged with anticipation, dread, and something else they couldn’t name.

Sefa's body lay stretched on a reinforced bed in one of the lower rooms—cool and dark, intentionally sealed off from too much external noise or light. His chest rose and fell in erratic rhythm, sweat slicking his bare skin, every muscle twitching like his nerves were being rewired from the inside out. Which, in truth, they were.

“He’s burning through everything,” Kemi murmured, frowning as she set another chilled blood bag in the basin of ice. Her voice was low, careful not to crack. “His body’s shifting too fast. This should be taking longer.”

“It’s her,” Jey muttered from the corner, arms crossed, jaw tense. “She bit him. She didn’t mark him by accident. That kind of bite—it’s tied to instinct. She pushed that bond into motion without meaning to, and now he’s locked into the process.”

Jimmy paced like a caged wolf, his energy chaotic and loud. “So what happens if she’s not here? If she doesn’t feed him?”

Silence.

Amina looked up from her seat near the edge of the bed, her hand hovering over Sefa’s, her lips tight with worry. “He’ll survive, but he won’t come back right. The hunger will stay. The ache for her won’t go away. His body’s transforming into something new and all of it is coded to her.”

Kemi nodded grimly. “The longer he goes without feeding directly from her, the more unstable the transition. Blood bags won’t cut it. Even fresh offerings won’t stop the craving. He needs her to balance it—she triggered the bond.”

Jey slammed his palm on the edge of the table. “She should’ve stayed. We should’ve never let her leave that house.”

“She didn’t leave,” Amina said sharply. “She fled. Y’all didn’t see her. She was shaking so hard she could barely stand. The bathroom looked like a murder scene, and she threw up blood until there was nothing left. She’s unraveling just like him.”

Jimmy ran a hand down his face. “Where is she now?”

“Underground,” Kemi replied. “Feeding. Fighting. Burning through energy like she’s trying to outrun what’s happening.”

A deep groan tore from Sefa’s throat. He arched, spine bowing off the bed, jaw clenched, fangs pushing through as his body shuddered under the weight of the bond taking root.

Amina reached for his forehead. “He’s getting close. His body’s adjusting to the venom but the hunger’s kicking up. We need her before he wakes.”

Jey looked toward the door, then back at his brothers.

“She can’t go back to that house,” he said coldly. “Not alone. Not after this. She’s not okay, and he’s not gonna be either.”

Kemi’s eyes flicked toward the window, sensing the chaos pulsing somewhere in the dark underground beneath their land.

“We better hope she gets it out her system before he wakes up needing her.”

Jimmy, quieter now, glanced at Sefa, watched his little brother convulse and groan through the next wave of pain.

“…Because if he wakes up first and she ain’t here—he’s not going to care who’s in front of him.”

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: The Change

Sefa woke with a sharp inhale, his chest rising as if breaking the surface of deep, endless water. The world felt louder, brighter, too rich in scent and sensation all at once. His vision sharpened, pupils expanding and narrowing like a lens adjusting to light.

The first thing he saw was Jey’s grim face. Then Jimmy, his expression tense but steady. Amina hovered nearby, holding a thick glass container of blood, the deep red liquid sloshing faintly with her movement. Kemi stood just behind her, watching him with both worry and calculated observation.

"Welcome back," Jey said quietly, voice low but commanding. "Told you she’d bite your ass eventually."

Sefa couldn’t speak just yet, his throat dry, muscles still locked in the lingering tremors of transformation. Everything hurt—but in a strange way, everything also felt alive.

“You need to drink,” Amina said, stepping forward, uncapping the jar, and holding it out to him.

He hesitated—but the scent hit him hard. His stomach twisted, hunger roaring to life.

He took it with a trembling hand.

And while his body responded to the blood, it wasn’t enough. Not quite. Not her.

Jimmy watched his little brother carefully, noting how Sefa’s pupils flared, how his jaw clenched.

"He needs her," Jimmy muttered under his breath to Jey. "That blood’s just a placeholder."

Jey nodded. “Yeah. She’s the one that turned him. And if he doesn’t feed from her—this is gonna get worse before it gets better.”

Sefa’s grip tightened around the glass, his fingers almost crushing it as he drank down the blood. His body trembled with every sip, each one not filling the hunger but amplifying it. The ache inside him only deepened.

It wasn’t just physical now—this was primal. A part of him was still tethered to the change, to the transformation. His veins buzzed with power, but it wasn’t enough. He needed more. He needed her.

His eyes flicked to the door. Teni wasn’t here. She wasn’t in the house, and that gap left an aching hole inside him. His instincts screamed at him to find her—to feed from her, to complete this bond, this thing that was no longer just a bite. No longer just about blood.

"She’s not coming back anytime soon," Kemi said, noticing the shift in Sefa’s gaze. "You know that, right? She’s spiraling."

Sefa looked up at her, his eyes glowing with a strange mix of hunger and something else. Something darker. He didn’t respond, the tension in his chest palpable. His body was fighting against its new nature, aching to find her, aching to feel her under him, to complete the connection that had already begun.

"We need to get him to her," Jimmy said, his tone sharp but concerned. "I don’t care how long it takes. We can’t let him go longer without her. It’s... it’s bad enough as it is."

Jey’s eyes narrowed as he took in his younger brother’s state. "He’s not stable. If we don’t act soon, we’ll lose him to this process—and then he’ll be a different person altogether. He’ll need her to finish the cycle, or it’s all gonna fall apart."

Amina sighed, stepping back and sitting down, pulling her knees to her chest. “She’s still out there, feeding herself into oblivion. The longer we wait, the harder it’s gonna be to stop her from—”

Her voice trailed off, but the look in her eyes said it all.

“She’s losing herself,” Kemi muttered. “And he’s not gonna be able to handle it.”

Sefa’s breath came in sharp bursts as he turned to face the brothers, his body still shaking. The blood in his system wasn’t enough—it had only served to amplify the need for the one person he couldn’t have right now. The one person his body demanded, but she wasn’t here.

"I need her," Sefa growled low, his voice barely recognizable. "I have to—"

But before he could finish, the door creaked open.

Teni stood in the doorway, her figure silhouetted in the light. Her eyes were still a violent red, and her face was twisted with conflicting emotions. The moment their eyes locked, the air seemed to crackle with the charge between them, the magnetic pull that neither could deny.

She didn’t say anything immediately, just stared at him, her jaw clenched.

Sefa’s body tensed, but the hunger, the need, flooded him again—stronger now. His instincts told him to go to her, to end this torment. But something inside him held him back, unsure of how she’d react.

“Teni…” he rasped, his voice thick with need. “I need you. Please.”

She didn’t move at first, her gaze flicking to the others in the room. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the chaos. It was clear she was still struggling with what had happened between them, with the lines she’d crossed when she let him in so deeply.

"Not like this," she murmured, her voice shaky but steady. "I... I can’t do this right now. I need control."

But her words only seemed to stoke the flames in Sefa. Without thinking, he stood up, his legs unsteady but driven by the urgent need to end this torment.

“Control?” he spat, voice raw with emotion. “You think you can control this? You think you can control what’s happening to us?”

He took a step toward her, and the room seemed to hold its breath.

Teni shook her head, a frustrated growl escaping her lips. She felt the intensity of the pull between them too. It was stronger than anything they’d experienced before. But she couldn’t give in—not yet. Not until she figured out what the hell was happening to her, to them.

“I’m not your fucking distraction,” she snapped, though her voice trembled with the force of her desire. “You’re gonna lose control. We both will.”

But Sefa didn’t care anymore. His body was on fire, his skin aching for hers. He closed the distance between them in a flash, his hands finding her waist, pulling her against him. He could smell the blood on her skin, the raw scent of her need, and it sent a bolt of hunger straight to his core.

Teni gasped but didn’t pull away. The heat between them was overwhelming. And she knew—knew—that if she didn’t pull away now, she’d never be able to again. They were both too far gone, their instincts too wild.

“You don’t have a choice,” he growled into her ear, his lips brushing against her skin. “This isn’t just about us anymore. We’re bonded now.”

[wh-da-backup]

Lyric Dump posted sept 2010

bits of paper:

she walks like hell down the hallway, naked she wonders why they stare but doesn't care, she'd rather die than be repaired -----

he likes gore and she likes sugar they make the perfect dying team

I liked his words so I learned his side I like her words now I wanna learn her side

kiss me sugar breath breathe me candy death

the new Mr. Popular and his gangrene bride ---

the twisted phoenix of her mental ashes

you ask me why I feel so down, I finally tell you now look what I've done I've made both of us frown

but things are always better in our minds ---

you need her like a hole in your head watch out man it's a package deal

see the names she'll give you both yeah it's all in your head ----

I'd spend my evenings and stare at that shiny dumb failure of a child who never says a word and thinks she's a poet. how cute. ----

play their subtle obsession

lady love is out to get me

surgery under Anastasia ---

I don't care how you see it- these are my children

and I live for them and I comfort them I would kill for them I would die for them ----

love, could you be human oh could I? we're shiny silver trash machines

we've been programmed by airwaves

we've been programmed by wires spoken by liars

we've been designed, we've been designed is this alright? ----

they're lovers made of glass and lovers made of sound

catching a butterfly is not quite the same as catching a train --- Drive Me, Crazy

5th wheel's for you break the 4th wall and your bones and everything else

drive me, crazy, i wanna crash ---

i want my life back gonna have to take it ---

I was named after you but we're not the same I just can't take it just can't take the blame

the children are always afraid ---

she can have my blood I don't mind go infect the human race with mine

I'll scratch all night ----

gaping pores in teenage skin it's true i let a lot of stuff in ok ok ok

I'm fine I'm great I grin but it's true I keep my anger held in ok ok

and I fear it's a sin the state of mind that I'm in can I forgive my disaster created in turn I hope I won't have to burn in something clearer than blame like the face I've inflamed in the mirror ok --- Stupid Hair

I want you out of my face I want you lying on the floor instead I want you out of my life get away from me get off my head

I'd like to cut you up you're gonna die die die I wanna change you up dye dye dye ---

chosen one, I chose myself ---

can I borrow your self cause I don't like mine anytime anyplace anymore anyway

overreact like I do when you yell

I hang out with burners, maybe I'm one too we all got a price to pay ---

I need some brain bleach keep on thinking those razor blade thoughts ---

the man who likes to visit winter flashing lights and bubble eyes always draws his psychic lines ----

he lives his life in contempt for heaven

I have chosen to be undecided

once you've got it all figured out it's too late

setting fire to a world where nothing burns ---- Walking

coop us up all day we sweat and we stink

waiting for summer no cold to protect us from

at least we come in pairs sorrow to those who lose that friend

walk on me all day never hear your thanks hey man just set us free

just want to walk on the earth God made feel it on our soles ----

well I've got an identity and if you want to know then pay attention to the lyrics when i play these songs for you

well I've got a personality and if you'd like to know then pay attention to the lyrics when i play these songs for you

well I've got your reality and if you think you know then pay attention to the lyrics when i play a song for you ----

I think too much try to suppress it back I'm obsessed and ashamed and my confidence lacks ----

takes one to know one you are what you eat ----

a few hurtful words and we argued in bitter doesn't take much for a fire to start well she burned down the house and everything in it I told Heaven and Hell take good care of my guitars and write helpful critiques of my art ---

we'd stargaze at the empty ceiling ----

I'm thinking I'd like to be haunted tonight no need to thank me I'm frightened in return I'm thinking I'd like to be haunted tonight setting fire to a world where nothing burns. ---

that hour of your life that you gave repeatedly

you're my favorite plastic but you're not one bit of help

I know how I'm yours that my teeth absorb stains

I'm making up my list and so I guess I'll throw you in

reclining in a clean and quiet room ---

it's not damage it's this damn age we're living in blocked the flow of everything ---

and even if I had a gun I doubt I would shoot anyone I like /I'm fine

a fellow asked if i'm on drugs I don't need that to pull this off I'm fine

I've made myself disposable as a friend I've made myself unattractive so who am I to complain about it? my social capacity consists of a one-sided conversation between myself and a unanimous awkward silence (ding dong ding the witch is dead at 27) and so the universe gets its comeuppance ---- (cleverbot responses)

it's not funny your smile

so that's where his brain went

he was hard to read

I think you dislike cheese ---

facial constellations from scars I read the future in my stars I thought, I could be so pretty by pretending to be beautiful but I choose not to ---

It's been a few weeks since I've seen her as I've been away

wore a dress like an eyeris so blue like her eyes

she would blink to me in skies and I'd read them and sigh

I would read them and cry

painting stripes on my shirt

does it hurt to be from here

I do

in a car to be so far away far away

painting stripe on my shirt and I'm drowning in acidic paint I am blatantly lost to be so far away far away ---

stop touching your face

stain me with absence

turn the knives to forgiveness

peel myself from the floor ----

I'm not dirt

I get hurt

I don't bleed oil ---

another sunrise I'm already on my way nature's dying because now we start first

I'm sorry that I hit your head ---

we dug this grave to keep us alive for a little bit longer now hell seeps in through the walls along with the groundwater

wrote a letter home to you so a part of my can leave this place my love

breathing is bleeding nowhere to go but down breathing is bleeding nowhere to go but blind

together as parts of this great war machine but as souls we're alone ---

I wish this day had never been born wish i'd stabbed a knife in the womb of sunrise when I couldn't quite sleep from the dark in my eyes and now hours later the knife is meant for me

I don't wanna tell you you'll worry, you'll hurt I don't think I'm in danger and you'd think it's a joke a nauseating plea for attention you'd gag til you choke

nothing went down but a whole lot of staring i stared at the knives, the liquor, the pills, it all seemed so easy it all seemed so easy ----

songbook:

you're a wannabe wannabe and famous for that you know there's gotta be a catch catch catch hack don't look down on me just cause i'm a wreck you know there always gotta be a catch catch catch retch ---

girls in the schoolyard blabbing secrets they were told not to repeat by their parents ten years later walking around in the cold less cloth than skin they don't even have the dignity to be embarrassed

a girl died back in '93 and was buried are you really that gullible? paranoid about viruses you could be carrying are you that irresponsible? ---

mind. scent. way to pass your judgement interesting prop, hence why i'm still alive...

and you smell like chemicals you smell like chemicals you smell like chemicals ---

I never suffered teenage angst til now be careful what you wish for I never thought my heart would break be careful what you wish for I'm always eager for an eye be careful what you wish for I'm always dreaming half-deranged be careful what you wish for

sleep comes on four screeching wheels eyes are closed by dull iron lies sleep appears long-awaited ghost hello my friend where would you like to go? --- We Are

I think you lied to me before you left them lying on the floor there's now a key that locks the door built by the lies that tie the score they scar me more

and there's a way that we talk and there's a way that we breathe and there's a way that we are

you say that nobody will you say that nobody can just look outside where we are ---

there's a hole a mile wide it's in my soul it's in my pride from lies... rusted scalpels that they are

all that needles to is stitch frail threads on an open wound

you fill it all ----

drive me drive me i just want you to derive me round and round again until i am renowned state it state it just shut your mouth and stay sedated overrated don't overreact like they did

you're handling eyes now so set your pins and needles down (your sole important everything) ----

my arm laid out my gaze is wistful blood is gold i've got a bottomless wrist full what's it doing keeping me alive? we're such a waste together wish i could give it all away and that way i'd be good for something ---- Sharks

be careful when you find the one whose eyes could be your 2-inch ocean

look out look out look out seeing sharks

be the dagger of my eye ----

walk through the market avoiding the stares trying to plug up the hole in a china doll's chest

they threw us all in a prison cell we gathered our wax limbs and sat up the best we could

I on my side and you lying next to me our faces met close enough

we fell in love in a prison cell I'll lie here beside you and hold you until we die and our wax limbs will fall to the floor

holding you close only time will tell the others talk nervously don't say a word

our wax heads rolled off and I knew that the dream it had gone

[russiandoll-from-brooklyn]

Just Once - Part 2

Title: Just Once - Part 2

Some of y'all were asking for Part 2 of Just Once so here ya go! This picks up right after the first story.

Pairing: Tony Stark x fem!reader

Summary: Grief and loneliness got the best of you last night. Your friendship with Tony was too precious to risk, and now all you want to do is move on. But what happens when the other party doesn't want to forget?

Warnings: smut, language, (technically) cheating, friends to lovers, mentions of past canon trauma, oral (f receiving), protected sex

Word Count: 5.1k

[Starts out sweet and all about tony x reader friendship, then turns into steamy Tony smut. Table sex, included. 😳]

---

Thump, thump, thump.

Your feet hit the pavement rhythmically as you jog your normal morning route. It’s a misty Seattle morning, and the world is still quiet. The sun is rising sleepily, beginning to bathe the world in gold. All is well.

Except. It isn’t.

You turn the block corner, and your apartment comes into sight. You take a glance down at your watch.

42 minutes.

That’s how long ago you had quietly slipped out of your apartment for your morning run. That’s how long it had been since your eyes shot open and you remembered the events of last night, rushing into your mind, all at once like a tsunami. You had turned your head to find Tony still asleep beside you in the bed. One leg sticking out of the messy sheets and his face buried in the pillow. Your pillow.

You had stared at him in disbelief, half-expecting him to disintegrate into a fleeting figment of your imagination. You had rubbed your eyes, trying to clear the haze.

Nope. Still there.

You silently curse yourself and your stupidity (see: weakness in the face of sexual temptation) for the 50th time this morning as you approach the brick building. Perhaps, when you reenter your apartment, Tony will be gone, and this will all have just been a bad trip — or something of the like.

Before you even open the door, the smell of frying bacon reaches your nose. You step inside and are greeted by a peculiar sight.

Tony Stark, clad in nothing but a pair of dark jeans, is buzzing about your small kitchenette. Simultaneously, there are eggs being flipped over-easy on the stovetop, orange juice being procured from the open fridge, bacon sizzling happily in a pan, and toast being buttered. You stand in amazement for a few seconds, processing the scene before you. The wonderful aroma of the all-American breakfast makes you mouth water.

“Y/N! Hey!” Tony exclaims when he sees you.

You slide onto a stool at the bar top, overlooking the controlled chaos unfolding in the kitchen area. Tony truly has remarkable skill when it comes to multitasking. You guess, all that time in the suit, operating about twenty computing systems at once, was good practice.

“Wow. Breakfast?” you remark, raising an eyebrow. “Since when do you cook?”

He scoffs, shooting you a brief smile before turning away to rapidly crack some black pepper onto the eggs.

“Cooking is easy. People think it’s a skill, but really it’s just planning, timing it out. It’s like assembling anything else. You just do the parts in order, trying not to break any yolks.”

You roll your eyes sarcastically at the classic “Tony” response.

Suddenly, all the components come crashing together, and Tony is setting down two perfectly assembled breakfast plates on the bar top — complete with a glass of orange juice for each of you. It looks delicious; it’s been way too long since you had a proper breakfast. Meaning, a breakfast that wasn’t cereal, a protein bar, or a bowl of sad, pale, scrambled eggs. You thank Tony as he pulls up the other stool to sit across from you.

“Dig in,” he says cheerfully, raising his fork. “Good run this morning?”

You nod, taking a big gulp of orange juice.

“Yeah, I heard you leaving,” Tony continues mindlessly. “Kind of weird waking up to an empty bed after a night like that. I finally know what it feels like to be on the other side, I guess.”

You nearly spit out your bite of toast. And just like that, reality comes crashing back down to earth. For a brief moment, it had felt like things could possibly come out normal on the other side. You and Tony could go back to being perfectly normal best friends.

How ignorant.

“What?” you remark incredulously.

You’re on the verge of laughter, partially out of amusement but mostly out of bewildered embarrassment.

Tony gives you his award-winning “I’m innocent!” raised-eyebrow expression. You suddenly become acutely aware of the situation. Tony Stark is sitting in your kitchen, shirtless, serving you breakfast. After you spent a far-from-platonic night rolling around your sheets together. You want to slap yourself.

“I’m talking about the incredible sex we had last night. And then, you leaving me alone before sunrise,” Tony explains casually, pushing your buttons further. “That's usually my play.”

He looks up at you, expecting a playful quip in return. Instead, you just slowly set down the fork you had been gripping.

“Tony,” you begin, seriously and calmly. “Let’s not talk about it. It was one night, and it won’t happen again. It was just once. We gave into the moment, but we shouldn’t-“

“The moment?” Tony suddenly blurts out, interrupting you. You purse your lips, surprised by the new and unexpected edge of anger in his voice. “God. Y/N. The moment, huh? You’re really just going to shrink it down to that. Just a moment.”

You stare at him, confused. Tony’s big brown eyes hold yours with an intensity. It's amazing how fast his sarcastic, playful tone can morph into ferocity. You want to look away, break his gaze, but you can’t. This whole thing was a mistake.

“It was fun,” you finally say. “But it was just a fuck. We were lonely.”

“You know, Y/N. You’re so damn smart,” Tony replies, leaning back a bit in his seat. “So, why do you always try and kid yourself? It bothers me. I know -- that you know -- that this wasn’t just a fuck.”

Your mind races through a million different responses.

Then, what was it?

What do you mean?

Why are you acting like this?

I'm not kidding myself.

But something tells you, deep down, that there's nothing you can say that won't lead to something you don't want to hear.

So, instead, you angrily snatch up your glass of orange juice, rising from your seat at the bar. You grit your teeth at Tony one more time before turning your back and striding toward to your study. You feel your cheeks burning hot.

The study is a second living room-sized space where you keep all your projects. Early sunlight is now streaming in through the large windows, falsely giving the impression of a peaceful Saturday morning. The large wooden table tops are littered with wires, microchips, and other electronic parts. When you first met the Avengers year ago, you and Tony butted heads over your shared expertise in technology and robotics. After much bickering and trying to outdo each other, you eventually accepted one another's intelligence and bonded over your shared field.

You look to the floor of your large study to see the air mattress you had set up there prior to Tony's arrival yesterday, obviously still pristine. You squeeze your eyes shut. Your apartment is absolutely dripping with reminders of last night's events. The empty whiskey glasses, still sitting on the side table in the living room. The couch pillows crumpled from the weight of your bodies, hungrily crashing together above them. You don't even want to think about your bedroom, where you're sure Tony's missing shirt is strewn on the ground.

You push the thoughts out of your your mind, pulling up a seat at your work table. You start to fiddle with a new lightweight shoulder pauldron you're currently designing. You can feel yourself going into 'shut-out' mode, trying your hardest to focus all your attention on the metal in your hands. This was all too much. This was all wrong.

When you hear footsteps behind you, entering the study, you ignore it. Tony quietly traverses the floor, coming to pull up a chair on the other side of the work table. He silently watches you working the wires into place. You don't look up. You don't have to see his expression to know the contemplative expression undoubtably painted on his face. You also don't have to look at him to know he's pondering more than just your work.

"You know, aluminum-titantium alloy won't hold up after a few heavy hits," Tony comments, nodding to the armor piece.

"I'm gonna chromatize it," you reply dryly, not looking up from your hands.

"I wouldn't bother. You can't just give everything a shiny coat to hold it together. If the problem is underneath, that is."

Fuck Tony and his fucking metaphors.

You growl angrily, throwing the pauldron down in frustration. You sit back in your seat and cross your arms, finally meeting your friend's eyes.

"Ok, fine," you say matter-of-factly. "Let's talk about it. It was good. It was really fucking good. And we both needed it. But that's it. I'm willing to leave it at that and forget about it if you are."

Tony rubs his beard in his palm, seemingly mulling over your words. His brown eyes don't leave yours. The warm sunlight coming in through the window behind him paints yellow patches on his bare shoulders, bathing him in gold. You take a mental picture of him, sitting there in his thoughts. A brief, intrusive thought passes through your mind, threatening that this could be the last time you see him. You immediately banish the notion. This friendship means too much to you. Not even a fuck-up as big as this one could make you want to toss it away. You hope Tony agrees.

"Help me understand where your head's at, Y/N," Tony finally replies. "What is your biggest concern right now? Wait, listen, I know there's a lot of reasons why last night was bad. But I want to know what you're thinking."

You sigh, uncrossing your arms. As much as Tony's 'list-and-analyze' reaction to crisis could be annoying, in some ways, it comforted you. Tony is impulsive, yes, but those who know him best also know his calculative nature: the mental risk assessments, the contingency plans labelled through Z. Always searching for the route that will hurt everyone the least. Always.

You consider his question carefully. Again, there's a million answers: the risk of ruining your friendship, the potential awkwardness, Pepper -- oh, god, Pepper --, the pain and grief you've both been through in the past few years. You close your eyes and pick one.

"You're one of the only people left that I trust. One of my only friends. Complexity doesn't often end well."

"You're right," Tony admits. "But aren't you the one who asked, 'is it wrong to not want to be alone'?"

You scoff loudly, angered by his using your words against you. However, that bitterness melts away into nothing when you see the heart-wrenching expression on Tony's face. His lips are pursed, and his eyes are searching yours desperately. Tony rarely shows outward weakness, but right now, the man before you isn't Iron Man. The man before you is broken. Someone who has tried everything to hold it -- his sanity, his relationship, his life -- together, to save the people he loves, to be strong. Someone who failed at that. Someone who truly felt alone.

You rest your chin in your palms and sigh, the weight falling over you as well.

Finally, you speak.

"Isn't it awful -- and strange -- how it can feel like a lifetime ago and just yesterday at the exact same time?"

Tony nods sadly at your observation. Of course, you were talking about the snap. About Thanos.

"You're right. About everything," he remarks. "Sometimes, it just gets too much. The...”

Loneliness. You finish his sentence in your head.

“Me too.”

“You should know though,” Tony continues. “I would never stop being your friend. No matter how complex things are. This — what we’ve been through — could never change, Y/N.”

There it is.

Some situations feel like you're running in circles; you're spiraling downwards and everything you say only makes matters worse and worse. It feels like sinking in quicksand with no way out. In every one of those situations, there's a key -- that one sentence, that one idea, that effortlessly clears the fog. This was it. Tony is going to be here, always. Everything is going to be alright.

You straighten up a bit in your seat. You let out a long sigh and give Tony a small smile.

"I know," you assure your friend. "Sometimes I forget everything that's happened. How complicated it's been before. How we made it out."

Tony laughs, and you're relived.

"How could you forget? It's been a wild ride."

The two of you grin at each other. You take a sip of your orange juice, which you had forgotten about and was now lukewarm.

"OK, happy?" you inquire with a playful tone. "Base material fixed. No need for shiny coats of anything. We're solid now."

Tony lets out a hearty chuckle at the stupid analogy. Suddenly, he stands, circling the work table until he's right in front of you. You suck in a breath of oxygen. From your seated position, your head only comes up to his abs. Bare abs, that is. You tilt your face upwards to meet his eyes.

"Y/N," he says gently. “Stand up.”

Confused, you rise to your feet. Before you can open your mouth to say anything else, Tony’s lean and muscular arms are wrapped around you. He pulls you into his chest, embracing you in his warmth. His grip is firm, as if he’s afraid you might run away. You soften into the hug, wrapping your arms around his back. You feel safe.

After a few moments, Tony releases you. However, he doesn’t move away, and the two of you are still nearly chest-to-chest. You peer up at him, and your friend’s warm toffee eyes meet yours.

“Wow, a Tony Stark hug?” you remark sarcastically. “I should play the lotto today.”

Tony chuckles under his breath. Despite your joking, it was true that Tony rarely gives hugs. He just isn’t the touchy-feely type — according to himself. Somehow this gesture, right now, meant everything. A hug was the most intimate thing Tony could have given you. It was a seal, a mark saying ‘I meant every word I just said.’

Tony is still standing directly in front of you, so close there’s only a magazine’s width between you. He’s so near that you can feel the warmth of his steady breathing, and the slight radiating heat from the arc reactor in his chest. Suddenly, you feel that familiar tug in your stomach. A rush of blood downwards...

“Tony-“

“Do you want me?” Tony cuts you off. His voice is low, gentle.

You suck in a breath of air at his words. Despite his directness, there's a detectable edge of nervousness in his tone. You smile internally at knowing you have this effect on Mr. Playboy. The slight uncertainty in Tony's voice also tells you that it's true: this is different. Last night was not just a mindless fuck. This is an understanding, wrapped around a mutual care that runs so deep that it burns.

You don’t even try to convince yourself that you don’t want Tony. Every ounce of your being is screaming to close the gap between you. You can still hear the scientist-logic-brain in you resisting, but your heart feels at ease. You and Tony. A concept that felt like the forbidden fruit itself just ten minutes ago now looked more like an oasis. And oasis that was maybe alright to take a drink from every once in a while.

You snake one hand upward to hold his cheek. Tony pushes gently into your palm.

It's you who leans in first. When your lips collide, it's soft. He presses himself into you, a delicate sigh escaping. You pull back just enough to whisper a breathy "I want you."

And oh, god do you want him.

“Then, have me,” Tony whispers back, gently.

You nearly visibly shiver. Any trace of hesitation is gone from his voice now. His words are demanding, but his tone is more of a plea.

“Do you want to go the bedroom?”

“No,” Tony replies immediately. He’s breathless. “Right here.”

You immediately feel wetness drop into your panties. Tony’s eyes have grow darker, as they bear down at you. The intensity makes your legs feel weak. You need him. He needs you.

In a moment of boldness, you bring your hands down to the hemline of your shirt. You lift the garment up and over your head, placing it on the work table beside you. Tony’s eyes wander to your red sports bra and your now-stiffened nipples showing through the sleek fabric.

In the next breath, Tony is suddenly kissing you again, his lips against yours in a desperate hunger. He brings his large, roughly calloused hands to your waist. He firmly grips your body, making you feel tiny in his hold. You let a small moan escape your lips.

Still holding you in his grasp, Tony starts to walk you backwards until your backside is pressed against the edge of your large work table. Tony’s hips press forward into you, making you gasp with excitement. You fingertips tangle in his hair, just wanting more and more and more...

In an effortless movement, Tony lifts your sports bra over your head. He throws the red fabric to the side, neither of you caring where it lands. Tony breaks away from your lips, starting to kiss down your cheek, jaw, and then finally giving attention to the delicate skin on your neck. Again, he’s careful not to nip or suck too hard to leave marks. The light scratching of his facial hair contrasts with the soft wetness of Tony’s lips, making you throw your head back in pleasure.

He continues to attend to your neck and jaw as one of his jean-clad thighs moves to fall between your legs. You let out a deep groan as Tony begins to rub and and roll his knee forward, stimulating your clothed core. His movements are like a wave, every forward crest bringing you a tiny bit of that friction your body wants so, so much. You’re in awe of the control Tony has over his movements and the effortless pleasure he’s capable of giving. You can’t help but find his experience and expertise sexy.

“Y/N,” Tony breathes against your neck. “Say it again. Please. Say you want me.”

It occurs to you that, aside from last night, Tony hasn’t felt wanted in a long time. Like, truly wanted. A pang of sadness fills your heart.

“Tony. I want you,” you declare, making sure the conviction in your voice shines through. You don’t have to try. You desire him more than anything right now. “I want you. I want this.”

With your words, Tony moans deeply into your jawline and begins to move his leg between yours more vigorously. Your fingertips trace over his bare back muscles. You trail your hands upward, into the nape of his neck, massaging his scalp. Everything about his beautiful form fits perfectly in your hands.

Tony continues moving downwards, soon finding your right nipple in his mouth. You arch your back, letting a loud moan escape your lips. He works your nipple expertly, rolling it and playing at it with his tongue. He alternates to your other nipple, his thumb replacing where his mouth just left. He lightly strokes the hard, spit-slick bud, and the combination of coolness and friction is heaven.

Tony stands back up, and a second later, his hands are at the elastic band of your running shorts. His eyes meet yours for a moment, silently asking for your permission. You nod a bit too eagerly, and Tony cracks a small, teasing smile. You scoff and lightly slap his shoulder, returning the smile.

Tony pulls your shorts down in one swift motion, leaving you in just your underwear. Next thing you know, Tony’s arms are around your waist. You let out a soft, surprised squeal as he lifts you effortlessly to sit on the edge of the work table behind you. Slightly elevated now, you come to about the same height as Tony.

“Hey,” you protest playfully. “Be careful. There’s important stuff here.”

Tony reaches behind you to clear the area, moving your half-finished projects and parts to the side.

“My apologies, Ms. Y/L/N,” he replies with a huge grin. “Got a bit carried away.”

You pull him into another deep kiss. He growls with pleasure when you nip at his bottom lip. Tony is now standing between your knees, his torso pressing gently into your panty-covered pussy. You can feel his erection through his jeans, straining against his clothes. After seeing Tony’s length for the first time last night, the mental image of his cock — just a few millimeters away from your core — is enough to make you drool. You wrap your legs around him, pulling him in harder against you. He moans into your mouth, and you feel the vibrations as your tongues tangle together.

You feel Tony’s body leaning forward, slowly coaxing you to lay down on the table. Now fully on your back, Tony’s above you, taking in the sight of your body.

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re the most magnificent creature on Earth?”

“No,” you reply with a smirk. “But now, knowing how many other planets are out there in the galaxy, just being Miss Earth doesn’t seem like a huge deal.”

Tony laughs, smiling with his teeth. You find the crinkles that form on the outer corners of his eyes utterly endearing.

“Well, you’re still one out of four-and-three-quarters billion,” he jests back. “Not too shabby. It’s all about the little victories.”

You giggle. The pleasant thought passes through your mind that despite the current situation, everything does feel strangely normal. Tony is still Tony; you’re still you. The banter between you and your friend is still comfortable and easy. Your relationship, although maybe morphing into something more nuanced, remains unmoved.

You’re so caught up in your inner thoughts, that you don’t register Tony kneeling to the ground between your legs. You gasp when you feel his warm mouth over your still-clothed pussy. The combined wetness of his mouth and your core easily soaks through the fabric of your panties, making it cling to your skin. Tony runs his tongue over your folds, through the saturated cloth. You groan with pleasure, the small of your back arching off of the table. You grip Tony’s dark hair, needing something to hold onto.

The sensation of Tony’s lips and tongue through your thin panties is completely unique, and fuck, does it drive you wild.

After a few minutes, Tony’s hands reach up to hook in the waist of your panties. He removes your final garment, leaving you fully bare. His mouth immediately returns to your pussy. His tongue circles your clit, before running downwards through your lips, and then back up again. He alternates this pattern with gentle sucks on your clit.

“Oh, Tony. Shit,” you manage to call out. “That feels so good.”

He hums hungrily into you, pleasuring you to a level that no previous lovers have ever come close to. Tony’s large, rough hands wander upwards. One palm gentle grips your breast, while the other comes under your waist to hold the small of your back.

You raise your head slightly to glance down at Tony. The sight is pornographic. His face is buried in your cunt, head bobbing. The shape of his shoulder muscles, and his strong back. His tan skin, all bathed in golden sunlight.

Pleasuring you. On his knees.

It’s like a painting. Beautiful and erotic.

“Tony. I need you,” you gasp out, suddenly overcome with neediness. “Inside me. Fuck, I want you.”

Those magic words, again. I want you. The effect they have on Tony is instantaneous. Without hesitation, Tony is on his feet. He swiftly unbuttons his jeans and pulls down the zipper. His pants fall down to his ankles where he kicks them off. To your surprise his naked cock springs free. A glistening pearl of precum is formed at the tip.

“Wow, commando, huh?” you tease, gently biting at your bottom lip. “You were so confident you were going to get lucky again today?”

“Of course not. I just like to let it breath sometimes,” Tony remarks. “You wouldn’t get it. It’s a man thing.”

You scoff and roll your eyes sarcastically. Lovable idiot.

“Top drawer?” Tony asks, referring to the location of the condoms.

“On the left.”

Tony hurries out of the room and returns a second later with a condom from your bedroom. Stepping closer between your knees, he gives his cock a few pumps in his fist. You can feel your heart quickening with anticipation. Your pussy is nearly pulsing, needing to be stretched and filled.

Tony rips open the shiny wrapper and rolls the condom down onto his length. You scoot slightly closer to the edge of the table as his hands travel to grip your thighs. You moan deeply as Tony rubs the head of his cock over your slit, spreading your moisture.

“Are you ready?” Tony asks, eyes dark with desire.

“Mmhmm,” you hum. “Make me feel good.”

With that, Tony starts slowly pushing into your dripping pussy. You groan as your walls accommodate to his girth. It’s amazing that you took him just last night, and he’s already capable of stretching you like this again. Tony throws his head back, hissing in pleasure as he bottoms out, his pubic mound flush against yours.

He starts pumping gently. The way Tony’s hips roll forward in fluid motions makes you want to scream with pleasure. His hands are gripping your thighs tightly, fingertips digging into the soft flesh.

Tony’s pace quickens, and soon the room is filled with sounds of wetness, skin slipping on skin, and the moans leaving both your throats. One of Tony’s hands moves to your pussy. His thumb rubs tight circles on your clit making you see stars behind your eyes. The extra stimulation almost immediately starts tightening the orgasmic coil in your stomach. Tony seems to know the exact speed to move his cock and thumb to turn you into a whimpering mess beneath him.

“Oh, more,” you groan, your pleasure growing. “Tony Stark. Yes, oh, please.”

“Come for me, Y/N,” Tony growls almost primally. “Wanna feel you squeezing around my cock.”

Tony’s filthy demands go straight to your pussy. You love the feeling of being under him, sprawled out on the table, completely naked for him to fuck. And the dirty talk is the cherry on top.

The pleasure in your abdomen continues to rise until you’re on the edge of ecstasy. With one last thrust, your orgasm washes over you. You scream Tony’s name into the room, not caring who hears. Pulses of pleasure rip through your entire body, even making your feet tingle. When you come down, the convulsions slowing, your head feels fuzzy and bubbly.

Not even a moment later, you feel Tony lifting your legs higher. Still inside you, he straightens them, bringing your ankles to rest on his shoulders. The new sensation is instantly nirvana. He starts pumping into you, and the head of his cock rubs your G-spot on every thrust. Penetrative sex had never felt this good for you.

“You feel so fucking amazing, Y/N,” Tony manages to says between moans. “I’m not gonna last much longer.”

The feeling of your pussy being pounded in this angle has your eyes rolling back into your skull. All your thoughts seem to leave your head. The only thing you can focus on is the immense pleasure. The sound of Tony’s balls slapping against you wetly with every stroke combined with his desperate moans fill your ears.

Tony’s thrusts start to become more jagged, needy. His moans slowly transform more into whimpers as he continues to fuck into you. Suddenly, Tony comes with a series of loud groans, his eyes shut tight. You feel his dick pulsating inside you as he orgasms. He thrusts a few more times, riding out the last waves.

He gently slides out of you, his hands coming down the tabletop next to your waist to steady himself. Both of you are breathing heavily, your bodies radiating with the afterglow of pleasure.

Silently, Tony helps you to stand before sweeping you up easily in his arms. You lean into his chest as he carries you to the bedroom. Tony lays you down carefully on the cool mattress before hurrying to the bathroom. He returns a moment later with a warm washcloth.

After cleaning yourselves up, Tony crawls into the refreshing sheets beside you. He slips one arm under your neck, and you cuddle in closer to his body. The warmth and smoothness of his skin is so, so welcoming. In the strangest way, it feels natural.

“I didn’t think it was possible to top last night,” you finally say, chuckling.

“Me neither,” Tony replies. “I guess we just have good chemistry.”

“Who would’ve thought?” You laugh and drape an arm over his chest. “Hey, question.”

“Ask away.”

“Why did you cook all that stuff earlier? Like the eggs, toast, the whole nine yards. It was sort of...”

“Out of character?” Tony finishes your sentence.

You nod. Tony takes a deep breath, exhaling loudly.

“Honestly, when I woke up, and you were gone, I was freaking out a little bit. I wanted to talk about last night, but you weren’t there, and I just didn’t know what you were thinking. If you were having serious regrets, or if you were angry, or upset with me. Or if you were thinking our whole friendship was burned to the ground.

“I just needed to do something. Anything. Busy my hands, distract my mind. Sorry that I kind of raided your kitchen.”

You turn to peer up at him, letting out a soft laugh. His chocolate eyes meet yours, and you give him a kind smile, endeared by his typical, hyper ramblings.

“I’m sorry I left,” you start. “I was freaking out a little, too. I guess that’s always been a difference between us. I always try to run from the unknown, while you just want to plow straight through it.”

Tony smiles warmly and blinks his gorgeous, thick black eyelashes at you.

“It’s why we make a good pair. Balance. Yin and yang. Ya’ know.”

You both chuckle, content in one another’s arms. You open your mouth to reply, but you’re cut off by a loud growl from your stomach. Tony bursts into laughter.

“Your fault for barely touching breakfast,” Tony remarks playfully. “Which — not to toot my own horn — was quite artfully made.”

“I guess I could settle for a bowl of lowly cereal as punishment,” you reply with mock sadness.

Tony chuckles and shakes his head. He starts to rise from the bed, then offers his hand for you to follow.

“C’mon, I’ll make you some more eggs.”

[rebeccccccaaa]

ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ _____________________

ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ’s!ʙᴇsᴛ!ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ!ʙᴜᴄᴋʏ ʙᴀʀɴᴇs ᴀᴜ

sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ: You and Buck have always been close growing up but you two soon learn that the line that separates friendly and flirting is a lot thinner than you think.

ᴡᴀʀɴɪɴɢs: fluff, slight angst bc u got a shit bf, big bro vibes from bucky, smut duh [18+ minors dni (slight praise but also slight degradation, marking, belly bulge, squirting, fem!rec oral, unprotected sex, plz be safe irl, slight choking, pet names: darling&princess, i think that’s it lmk plz)]

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ’s ɴᴏᴛᴇs: hey assholes i'm back for the time being lol. I have a few ideas and fics I'm currently writing right now so do not fret.

______________________________________

You knew this was a horrible idea. 

It’s Saturday night and you and your boyfriend were back in another night club after being kicked out from one just hours before. Daniel had gotten too drunk, as he always does, causing you to kindly ask the bartender to cut him off. Daniel didn’t take that too lightly resulting in a gnarly swing at the poor guy just doing his job. 

Security threw you out and Daniel called an Uber to go where you thought was going to be your apartment but twenty minutes later you pulled up to another club practically on the other side of town. You yelled at Daniel but he pushed aside stumbling inside for yet even more drinks and mistakes waiting for him inside. 

You sat at the bar simply drinking some water and snacking on some peanuts keeping your eye on your garbage boyfriend. You're constantly checking the time on your phone, annoyed with every passing minute. It was 2 am and you just wanted to go home and sleep. You were even debating texting your brother Steve hoping you could just crash at his place not too far from where you were but it would be incredibly irresponsible to just leave Daniel in the state he’s in. 

So you waited and waited and waited. Your eyelids felt heavy and your energy was just completely drained. You were basically a zombie. It wasn’t until a guy approached your half asleep body that you felt a sense of alert. Daniel was shit-faced so you were practically defenseless. 

“Hey,” the guy shouted over the music.

“Sorry, I’m not interested. My boyfriend’s-” you quickly said, only to be cut off.

“Don’t worry. I’m not gonna hit on you. I’ve got a boyfriend of my own,” he chuckled, making you breathe out in relief. 

“Sorry,” you cringed at yourself. 

“It’s alright; but uh, I hate to be the one to tell you this. You might want to check with your boyfriend,” he said sympathetically. 

You pushed your way through the crowd scanning every face in search of Daniel. What did he do? Is he hurt? Did he get in trouble again? Is he getting arrested? Where is he-

“Daniel?” you said eyes tearing up a bit. 

His arms were wrapped around another girl’s waist as he kissed her the way he kissed you. She practically moaned as their tongues slobbered disgustingly with each other. Their hips grinding against each other proactively as if you weren’t even there. Sadness turned to anger, and anger turned to rage, gripping Daniel’s short hairs and pulling his head away from whoever this girl was. 

“What the fuck?” the girl complained, her eyes completely bloodshot. 

“Did he tell you that he was here with his girlfriend tonight?” you're sad with gritted teeth. Daniel stumbled around still unable to register what the hell was happening. 

“Oh my god, you forreal?” she said.

“Who fucking cares? She’s a prude anyway. I got more action with you than I did her in the past, what, six months?” Daniel slurred. 

“You know what, you’re a fucking prick, dude. She deserves so much better than you; I bet your dick is small anyway,” the girl said.

“Fuck you too bitch,” Daniel spit. 

“I can’t believe you,” you said. 

“Oh, whoop-dee-doo, big fucking surprise. Babe, you’re a prude. Can’t you see it? I don’t know why I’m wasting my time with you anymore,” he practically puked out the words without any second thought. 

“Fine, then I hope you enjoy the rest of your night, you fucking asshole,” you stormed away holding in the tears; he wasn’t worth it. 

Almost three am and you just dumped your cheating lowlife boyfriend on the other side of town. Steve wasn’t answering his phone and you even wanna be near the club anymore. Walking speedily staring at your screen desperate to call an Uber home, you bumped harshly into a hard chest falling to the ground on your bum. 

“Fucking hell, I’m so sorry, darling,” the man said helping you up by your elbows.

“It’s ok. I wasn’t looking- Bucky?” 

“Oh, hey kid. What are you doing? It’s like three in the morning and you don’t live anywhere near here,” Bucky said, crossing his arms. 

“Daniel got himself kicked from the one by our apartment and Ubered here instead.”

“So where’s Daniel?” Bucky scowled; he’s always hated that guy, so did Steve.

“Probably fucking some other chick in the bathroom,” your voice cracked. 

“What?”

“It’s nothing; I just want to go home,” you cried.

“Hey, it’s ok; it’s ok. Do you wanna crash at me and Steve’s? He’s gone for the weekend with Peggy; you can stay in his room at least for the night,” Bucky offered; so that’s why Steve’s not answering his phone. 

“I don’t wanna intrude on your night. I can just call an Uber, it’s fine.”

“No, it’s not. Steve’ll kill me if he found out I left his baby sis alone in the streets of New York at three in the morning. It’s not a problem, we were just bar hopping and I stopped drinking ages ago.”

“Are you sure, Buck?”

“Of course,” he smiled warmly at you. 

“Hey, Nat!”

“What’s up?” a beautiful redhead approached you both.

“Gonna head home ; don’t do anything stupid,” he chuckled. 

“You too,” she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, “Catch you Monday?” 

“You’re stupid. I’ll see ya,” Bucky laughed before grabbing your hand and headed towards his apartment. 

“Thanks again, Buck. For letting me stay here tonight,” you said once you entered his apartment. 

It had been a while since you hung out at your brother’s apartment but nothing’s changed. Typical men and their inability to change even a throw pillow. You set your small bag on the couch before Bucky led you to Steve’s room. There were pictures of you and him posing at Steve’s graduation; and later your own. Pictures of Steve and Bucky at a theme park, during a bar-be-que for Steve’s birthday. So many memories that Steve held onto in his room. 

“Time really flies doesn’t it?” Bucky said, slightly startling you.

“Sorry,” he chuckled.

“No, you’re fine. But you’re right. Feels all these pictures were taken yesterday,” you reminisced. 

“I got you some clothes if you need to change; I’ll give you privacy,” Bucky said, slipping from the room briskly. 

You sat on the bed frustrated with everything. Your body was so drained from being up so early in the night, to the fight with Daniel. The past couple months with him were so awful. He was just so mean to you all the time and you didn’t know what you did wrong. Where did it go wrong? When did things shift?

"Is everything ok, darling?" Bucky asked quietly, knocking on the door when you hadn't come out after a while.

"What did I do wrong? I thought he loved me," you choked out. 

Bucky sighed as he walked over to the bed sitting beside you before engulfing you in a warm hug. You cried into his shoulder and Bucky couldn't help the anger that bubbled inside him for your excuse of a boyfriend Daniel. He never got along with the guy and now he finally has a reason to knock his teeth in.

"You didn't do anything, I know it. That prick wouldn't know love if it hit him in the face. It's his loss. You deserve so much better than that asshole. Look at me, you're so beautiful and funny and fucking adorable; any guy who can't see how perfect you are, is a dense piece of shit." 

"James," you whispered. 

His words made your heart skip and your stomach flutter. But Bucky’s always had that effect on you. Even growing up. You weren’t going to sit there and pretend that hearing his words hadn't had a deeper effect than they would’ve coming from Daniel. Sometimes you wondered what being with Bucky would be like. You’re not the first to admit how handsome Bucky was and growing up you did have quite the crush on your brother’s best friend.  

You don't know what it was, whether it was the alcohol still swimming through your veins, or just feeling so vulnerable being in Bucky's arms but you wanted him badly. You needed him, needed to feel something again. And you knew he could give it to you. You pressed your lips to his and in an instant his hands dropped to your hips pulling you impossibly close against his body. Your hands went to the back of his head as you kissed him messily. Your noses bumped and teeth clashed but it was the best kiss you’ve ever had. 

“Fuck, your brother’s gonna kill me,” Bucky mumbled, almost to himself, as he slowly laid you down on your back.

Bucky’s hands trailed up your thighs, squeezing the soft flesh every now and then as he continued kissing you passionately. Your own hands couldn’t help but tug at his shirt desperately. When he did so, your breath was completely taken away. It had been years since you’d seen Bucky without a shirt. 

Not only had he been quite skinny just like your brother back then, but not long after leaving for college with Steve he was in a bike accident that left him with ghastly scars and burns along his left arm and shoulder. Since then, it’s fair to say Bucky never really ever took his shirt off. It had taken years just for him to remove the glove he’d always wear to cover the scars on his hand.

“You’ve gotten so strong, James,” you grinned, reaching out to brush the flexed muscles running down his front. 

He simply stared at you with an anticipating and anxious expression on his face, waiting for you to state the obvious. When you didn’t, when you pulled his head down to kiss him once again, he almost cried. Bucky hadn’t been with a woman in so long, afraid of this very moment. He knew at that moment, there was no one quite like you. 

Bucky fell in love. 

“Let me take care of you, darling. You’ve been so good to me,” Bucky whispered huskily in your ear as he trailed his hand under your own shirt brushing his fingertips along the underside of your breast.

His lips pressed softly against your hot skin along your neck before standing up between your legs at the end of the bed. He pulled your shirt off then played cheekily with the straps of your bra that you still had on. You smiled back at him with the same playful stare, reaching behind you to unclasp the material. 

You could see the way Bucky’s eyes darken and his pupils widened as he stared in awe at your naked chest. Your skin bursted into chills under his hungry gaze even though you felt like you were burning up. Bucky leaned forward kissing down the valley of your breasts, nipping once in a while playfully before laying you back down. He shimmied you out of your bottoms easily, kneeling on the ground leaving you completely bare before him. 

“You are absolutely stunning, princess,” Bucky whispered, running his hands up your thighs slowly. 

“Bucky, please. I need you,” you whimpered. 

“Don’t worry, darling. I promise I’m gonna take good care of you,” he smirked devilishly. 

He pushed your knees open, eyeing the arousal that glistened between your thighs. He brought his fingers up to you slowly rubbing your slick around before finally pushing a thick and long finger past your folds. Your body shuddered solely at the foreign but pleasurable feeling, already moaning softly. 

Bucky’s cock strained through pants upon hearing your beautiful moans; they were like music to his ears. He couldn’t help the way his hips would buck into the mattress in a desperate attempt to relieve some pain from his erection. Soon after he pulled his fingers from you slowly only to thrust them further in you, curling his fingers just right. 

He brought his mouth down to you, wrapping his lips around your clit sucking harshly. You gasped and your back arched, overwhelmed with pleasure Bucky was giving you with just his mouth and fingers. All the times that you’d given yourself to your ex, he had never made you feel this good before, feel this full; let alone with his fingers. Bucky was taking his time with you solely for your own pleasure and it made your heart swoon. 

Your legs trapped Bucky’s head between your thighs, squeezing as he continued to eat you out like a starved man. Your hands went to his hair pulling on his dark locks causing Bucky to moan deeply against you. You were so close to a release; your legs shaking violently and your stomach tightening. 

“Come on, princess. Want you to come all over my face. Can you do that for me, darling?”

“Fuck!”

“Be a good girl and make a mess,” Bucky teased.

His fingers moved faster as he swirled his tongue around and over your clit just as quickly. You were becoming overwhelmed and that coil bursted in the pit of your stomach. You pushed Bucky’s face from you, shrieking with pure pleasure; Bucky’s kept the rapid pace with fingers as you fell over the edge.

“Fucking hell, that was so hot, princess,” Bucky said standing up; his fingers, arm, his chest was covered in your arousal. 

“Did I do that?” your voice trembled. 

“Because of me,” Bucky winked playfully.

“I didn’t know I could do that,” you let your head fall back on the bed as you briefly caught your breath.

Bucky grabbed his shirt that he discarded not long ago and quickly wiped his chest and arm before discarding his pants and boxers. He nearly moaned at the feeling when he finally freed his dick from the restraining garments. His hand instantly wrapped around the base before pumping himself a few times. 

You brought yourself onto your elbows momentarily ogling at the sight of Bucky completely bare before you. Your mouth practically watered at the sight. Bucky crawled over you kissing you deeply and messily; but perfectly. He pulled away and you both had goofy smiles on your faces before bursting into a fit of giggles, Bucky’s head burying into the crook of your neck.

“You’re so goddamn adorable, princess,” Bucky’s voice was muffled. 

“Bucky,” you whined. 

You couldn’t resist squirming underneath the burly man. Although, you’ve just had what was probably the best orgasm you’ve ever had, you wanted more. You needed more; you needed Bucky. 

“I got you, darling. I got you.” 

Bucky wanted to tease you more, make you beg, but he was just as desperate to feel you as you were. He propped himself up on his elbows kissing you one last time before reaching between your bodies and lining his dick with your entrance. Both you and Bucky moaned simultaneously as he stretched you out; curses spilling from his lips as incoherent moans fell from yours. 

“So fucking tight, princess. Squeezing my cock just right, aren’t ya?” he whispered.

“Fuck, I feel so full,” you whimpered.

Bucky began to slowly move his hips in and out of you deliciously. He quickly picked up the pace, jetting his hips rapidly making your moans louder. Bucky sat up on his knees and gripped your waist surely to leave bruises in your wake. This new angle surprised you and you couldn’t help the squeals and moans that left your mouth. You chanted Bucky's name like a prayer; as if it was the only word you knew. 

Bucky watched you carefully, your face contorting with pure euphoric pleasure. He couldn’t help notice the small bump in your lower belly and without a second thought, he grabbed your hands pressing them firmly over your tummy. 

“You feel how deep I am, darling? Fucking poking through,” Bucky grunted. 

“Shit! Oh, it feels so good,” you moaned. 

“That’s right, no one’s ever gonna fuck you this good again. This pussy’s mine now,” Bucky growled. 

He took one of his hands and wrapped it around your throat squeezing the sides gently but firm at the same time. Your eyes rolled back and you moaned even louder, confident that the neighbors were sure to complain in the morning. Feeling Bucky’s hand around your neck was so exhilarating; you and Daniel had never ever experimented with anything beyond a pair of handcuffs, and that particular night went horribly. 

You like being choked by Bucky. 

“Fucking slut; you like this, don’t ya?” he came down to whisper huskily against your lips. 

“Mh-hm,” you moaned with a devilish grin, your bottom lip resting between your teeth before your eyes rolled back again. 

“Such a fucking beauty you are.”

Bucky hips snapped in and out and he knew it wouldn’t be long until he needed to release.

“God, I’m close, princess,” he growled. 

His hand moved to rest on the back of your neck to pull you up so you straddled his thighs and your chest was flushed against his. Your sensitive and hardened nipples brushed against his slightly sweaty skin causing you to shudder in pleasure. Bucky’s lips attached themselves to your skin along your collar bones sucking harshly leaving purple marks all along.

Your legs shook once again as they did before and soon enough with an arched back and shout of Bucky’s name you came all over his cock. Overwhelmed with your sex, Bucky bit harshly on your shoulder in a poor attempt to muffled the loud groans and moans he elicited. Feeling your velvety walls squeeze tightly around him pushed him over the edge, coating your walls with hot ribbons on cum. 

He fell forward almost crushing you but you were too tired to complain. Bucky continued to pepper soft kisses all over your skin whispering how good you were to him, how beautiful you looked. Just absolutely showering with compliments. You felt him slowly getting off you, probably afraid he was crushing you, but you didn’t want him to leave just yet. 

“Don’t,” you whispered, wrapping your arms tightly around his body. 

“I don’t want to crush you, darling.”

“You’re not.”

Bucky chuckled before settling completely above you, careful not to make you uncomfortable. Hardly any time went by when he felt the even and soft puffs of air hitting his skin, sure that you had fallen asleep. He picked himself up and with major guilt for his best friend, picked you up from the bed and walked you to his own room. 

After he was sure you stayed sound asleep, Bucky grabbed a clean pair of boxers and hurried himself to Steve’s room again. He collected all the discarded clothes and the dirty sheets and tossed them in the washing machine to clean right away. 

He hadn’t meant to fuck his best friend’s little sister, let alone in his own room, on his own bed, but it all happened so fast. 

He went back to his room letting the clothes do it’s thing, and quickly grabbed his phone. He messaged Steve, telling him that when he got back for his weekend with Peggy, he really needed to talk to him. 

Tonight made Bucky realize how much he loved you. Growing up, you two had always been close. But he doesn’t know when he stopped being friendly and instead began flirting. Bucky wanted to be with you; he knew it now more than ever. 

Bucky watched your gorgeous sleeping form on his bed. He smiled to himself before opening the window; the sun already rising and those beautiful golden rays seeped through the glass window, making you look angelic. He crawled into bed cuddling flushed against your naked body. He chuckled softly when you realized he’d returned, wiggling even further into his arms. 

“I love you, Bucky,” you mumbled. 

“I love you, too, darling.”

And he really, and truly did love you. As did you love him. 

=======================

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Bucky Barnes Taglist:

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[fromthespiderverse]

Hunting Spiders Part 1

A/N: Stepping into my oc's story with a BANG. Also if you haven't read Spider-man: Grim Hunt, you should, it's so good.

| Warnings:

Foul Language

Mentions of suicide

Blood

Violence

Life threatening situations

It is good to see Peter, always, but certainly not like this.

"We kick some Kraven butt right here; you gonna clue me in to what's going on?"

"Something besides that they have lost their minds?"

"Let's start with the butt kicking and negotiate the rest later...because frankly I don't have a clue."

The three of them leap into battle, Peter quipping, "Alyosha, right? Freddie Mercury called and wants his vest back."

"No jokes this time, Spider. This is the Grim Hunt."

Arachne offers a comment of her own, "And this is us tearing you a few new ones," as she faced the lady of the pair who chattered off in a delirious manner.

"Spyder, Spyder, burning bright, in the forests of the night..."

One of her knives slashes through the shoulder of Arachne's costume, though doesn't do much beyond surface damage.

"Watching with your saddened eyes, waiting in your web to die..."

"You've lost some marbles, lady!"

Peter wasn't doing too good in his fight with Alyosha, falling towards the rooftops with the other man making sure he can't swing to safety.

"You came to the party early, but I'll take the kill where I can get it--"

"Bull. I'm getting off this crazy train right h-"

Alyosha's gun goes off right then, battering Peter's ear drums.

He clutches his ears as he continues to fall.

That cleared the sinuses...but bye bye hearing. Except, what's weird...other than EVERYTHING that's happened in the last ten minutes of his life, is that he doesn't have the high pitched whine that usually accompanies hearing loss...instead--

He hears drums. Thick, slow drums.

Hands clasp Peter around the wrist, saving him from hitting the ground as Alyosha goes crashing through a skylight.

"What the hell? You're suppose to be the fresh one!" Arachne says.

"I'm having an off decade."

"Well, gather yourself, we need you."

"No, I think...we should..run."

"We should run," Arachne says in agreement.

As the three of them swing away, the woman berates the man, "Alyosha, YOU IDIOT! He's not ready!! Focus!"

---

"They've been at me since ten this morning. No clue how they found me, or what they want," Arachne says as they leap towards a roof

"I'm no psychic," Peter tells her, "But I think they want you dead."

"Guys-"

"I forgot what a jackass you can be. That's why we never dated. And you bit my costume."

"Glad to see you don't hold a grudge. And did you consider dating me?"

"Guys could we not do this-"

"You sound like hell."

Would you believe swine flu on top of everything?"

"God, were you a serial puppy strangler in a past life or something? What's going on here?"

"The fashion plates are Ana and Aloysha Kravinoff."

"As in "Kraven the Hunter." Got it. Why are they after me?"

"They are also pursing me as well."

"Not just you," Peter said, shrugging, "They're hunting Spiders," apparently. Which reminds me, I really have to get back to my apartment-"

"Not until we hit the why?" I'm not picking them up psychically, so hit it-"

"There ends my exposition, Julia...sorry. Maybe it's a revenge thing? Kraven offed himself because of me and they never really got over it."

"That's compassionate."

"It's the H1N1 talking, really."

Arachne crosses her arms, "Even if they are out for blood, it's not like we're "family." You sort of do your own thing, usually-"

"They kicked the living hell out of my clone."

"They went after brother?"

"You have a "clone?"

"Yeah, a couple- and for the record, I had them way before everyone was getting replaced by Skrulls. Talk about "biters.."

Arachne sighs, "God, you're stupid."

Peter sighs out his nose, "Yeah, I get that way when I start feeling like I'm caught up in something really really scary... Speaking of... Do you hear drums?"

"Actually--"

Peter whips around and lets loose a wide shield of webbing, "MOVE!"

Darts rain down on them.

Arachne tries to go for cover but a dart strikes her in the shoulder.

Alyosha crashes down onto Peter's back, hitting him feet first, "I know you won't believe this, but I think I feel sorry for you. For what's going to happen."

"Too late for pity, brother," Ana calls, whirling around her weapon, "It has already happened. Mother has seen to everything."

Arachne clutches her hand over her should, being careful of the dart buried in her shoulder, "Damn, I hate this kid...Spidey? I'm hit..."

Peter wrestles with Alyosha. They're too close to the roof's edge.

"Y'know...for a guy who likes big guns..." Peter grips Alyosha by his vest, and rolling back, lifting the other man with all the force he could bring, tossing him over himself and off the roof, "You have a real bad habit of getting too close. Your father would be disappointed."

Peter shoots a web across the gap, towards an attacking Ana, who's just started to throw her weapon at Arachne, striking her with it, blinding her momentarily, and cause he weapon to go off cross, Arachne ducking.

"Thank God..."

Below him Alyosha roars, screaming out in pain as he's pierced through by the large piece of metal that had been waiting below. Luckily for him, even if he doesn't not know it now, the wound would not be fatal.

"Now that sounds like the Kraven Junior I know," Peter says, almost mockingly, "A whining, screaming failure."

He fires webs at Ana, plastering her to the wall, "And you just zip it, freakshow!"

He leaps down to when Alyosha is pinned, demanding to know, "What do you want!? Why are you hunting "Spiders"? Why...? Why..."

Peter strikes, punching Alyosha across the face, though the punch is sluggish, "Why won't you leave me alone...?"

Peter feels dizzy.

Alyosha chuckles, "Heh...Wait until you see. You're going to love it."

Ana starts yelling as Peter presses his fingers to his temple, hearing those drums before again, "...Oh, man. My head..."

"PREPARE, SPYDER! THE END HAS COME!"

Peter falls.

He thinks about how Ana is still yelling in that little psychopath voice of hers, but he can't catch the words, not over the drums... and the thought that he might finally get some sleep.

[sorryimananti-romantic]

Mist | Choi San | Chapter 6

Pairing: Choi San x OC (Seohyun)

Genre: supernatural (ghost), romance, high school

Trigger Warnings: paranormal, death mentions, violence

Words: 14k

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my original character and the story. I do not own any gifs or pictures used.

Full story on Wattpad (don’t spoil here if you read there too)

chapter directory

--------------

Seohyun woke up with a groan, her head feeling heavy. She opened her eyes, blinking as the events of last night came to her. San was no longer here though. She checked her phone, and there was a text from him, saying his parents had called him.

After a shower and a cup of coffee, Seohyun sat in front of the television, thinking what she was gonna do. It was Saturday so they had no school, and she'd caught up on her sleep. She wanted to go out, but it was risky. The ghost- that evil, evil thing could turn up anywhere. Plus, she had no idea where Gayoung and Youngjae were.

Seohyun bit her lip as she thought about solving this problem; there was no way this ghost would come to her senses with mere words. It didn't look like she had faith in god anymore too, so a simple exorcism would be difficult. So what could she do? She had never dealt with such a dangerous one before, someone who was hell-bent on killing her.

And this time, it made sense why the ghost wanted to kill her so badly. All the evil ghosts she'd encounter in her life had never had an actual reason to harm her except being angry at life and whatnot. But this woman; what she had said made sense. And if it was true...

She wished there was another mediator she could consult with. But there was the matter of it being an inherited-once-dead thing. She could consult with the shaman she knew. Maybe he could help her communicate with a wise old ghost who'd actually give her a few tips.

The ghost's words rang in her ears: Don't tell me you didn't know? When a mediator dies, there is a short time period during which there is no other mediator in the world. That's when ghosts can do whatever they want; trespass, interact with humans, and much more. She cursed the previous mediators for not making an account of their knowledge and findings. She made a mental note to write a mediator guideline for the next unlucky person.

Seohyun got up, deciding she'd go to the shaman herself. No point waiting; she wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. The shaman was not too far from where she lived. She would take a taxi, just to be safe.

Seohyun was wondering where those two siblings had disappeared off too. She had allowed them to come and go as they pleased; it was unusual for them to be gone so long. Seohyun reached the place where the shaman lived after 10 minutes, getting off and finding the doors locked.

"Just my great fucking luck," she sighed, going to the market right in front of that place and asking if they knew where the shaman had went. She found out he had moved recently. She mentally cursed herself for not keeping his business card with her; she would have to go home and check if she still had it. She usually made some other use of business cards, such as making airplanes and boats out of them. Her origami was going to be the death of her.

Seohyun was just calling for taxi when she felt her heart sink in, realizing the evil ghost was near. She quickly stepped into property instead of hanging around the street, but nothing appeared. Maybe she was going insane, finally.

After waiting for two solid minutes, she was about to sit in the taxi when she heard a voice say:

"I saw that pretty boy leave your house in the morning."

Chills ran down her spine as she finally met her eyes with the ghost. "And what of it?"

"I found it interesting that he has the sight. I was wondering how that could help me."

"What do you mean?" Seohyun paused- this was not happening.

"He can see me. He thought he saw me in the morning but I hid. So I, with the help of those two kids who were too scared to disobey me, led him somewhere. And if you are a decent human, you'd follow me."

"You're lying."

"Go ahead and check if I am," she countered.

With a wildly beating heart, Seohyun pressed call, once, twice, thrice. He was not picking up. She texted in the group chat if anyone had been in contact with San since today. And everyone replied they hadn't.

Seohyun sighed in defeat as she said, "Lead the way."

The woman howled with laughter, making Seohyun grit her teeth and want to strangle her, but she walked, taking her god knows where. Seohyun tried to ask if she really wanted to kill her, and if so, why wasn't she already doing it. Why wait?

They were out in a clearing, near the expressway where cars and trucks rushed in full speed. What was she gonna do, attempt a ritual? Seohyun didn't understand.

"Just tell me where San is. And don't even think about hurting me. You want me, you have me."

"Oh dear," the woman walked towards her, and Seohyun tried to keep her calm as she grew closer, circling her once before whispering in her ear, "I don't have you. Not yet."

Seohyun winced at her foul breath, the woman raking a nail across her neck, drawing out blood. "I can't give you a mortal wound. I can only hurt you so much. That's why you mediators have it so easy."

Even if Seohyun's neck was on fire from the pain, she felt a spark of hope in her heart. That would mean she could run- she could escape.

"But that doesn't mean I can't do it indirectly," the ghost smiled, baring her brown teeth, and it was the evilness in her eyes that made Seohyun gasp as she realized.

She had been stupid- but she had no guarantee that San was safe. That Gayoung and Youngjae were safe. She couldn't run, not exactly. The woman flicked her hand, and Seohyun winced at the sound of a car crashing. She turned sharply; the car had hit the truck. The car had crashed the other way, but the truck-

It was tumbling and was coming right for her- unnaturally.

Seohyun forgot about everything else and ran, but somehow the woman was able to control the movement of the truck. She jumped in an attempt to dodge, the woman was cornering her. She had no choice but to step on the road, but one of the speeding cars failed to dodge the crashed car and struck it, skidding across the road and hitting Seohyun with a tremendous force that sent her flying before her head hit the traffic barrier and everything went black.

The woman laughed even as she cried out in pain. She had emptied the last of her powers on this crash, and she screamed as she felt herself burn from the inside out. But Seohyun was surely dead- she had to be. If she was dead, this wouldn't happen to her.

The woman screamed one last time before disappearing into thin air- this time for good. But it was no good now. Seohyun lay unconscious on the road, bent in a painful angle as people surrounded her and called an ambulance. A student checked her pulse; it was growing weaker by the second.

Seohyun was rushed to the hospital as soon as the ambulance arrived; her heart flatlined once before she was revived again, having escaped death from a hair's breadth. She was put on hold for her surgery as they called her mother for consent.

Her mother had rushed into the hospital- face streaked with tears. She had only had time to touch her face once before she was taken to the operating room, and she sat on the waiting chair, motionless. Her friend, Aunt Yuri that Seohyun had always liked, had comforted her mother, making her drink water and relax a bit. All they could do was pray.

Seohyun's phone, which was now in Yuri's hand, rang. It was Yunho. Yuri picked the phone, inquiring if he was a friend, and when he assured her that he was indeed a close friend, Yuri revealed the accident to him.

Yunho had almost dropped his phone as he heard, terror washing over him as he realized it must have been the evil ghost's doing. He washed his face, sighing as he tried to control his trembling hands. He was not ready to lose a friend.

Yunho called and told each of their friends individually, keeping San for the last, frowning when he did not pick up. He decided to go to his home and check. Before he reached his home, he found San walking outside the house as if looking for someone.

"San, hey," Yunho rushed to him, "Why weren't you picking the phone?"

"I lost it, but then Gayoung and Youngjae admitted they had hidden my phone. I was just going after them; I don't know why they'd done so. What's wrong?"

Yunho bit his lip as he thought of how to reveal it to him. He told him then; Seohyun had been in an accident, and she was under surgery now. They weren't sure if she was gonna make it.

San put a hand to his head, shaking his head in disbelief. "Was it- is it because of the ghost?"

"Not sure," Yunho said, "But seeing how Gayoung and Youngjae hid your phone, it must be. Seohyun was trying to contact you all day."

"Shit. Shit!" San punched the air in frustration, his lip trembling. How had it come to this?

"Which hospital is she in? I need to go."

So Yunho and San took a taxi to the hospital, and Yunho kept a hand on San's trembling one the whole ride. He seemed intent to keep his calm. When they arrived, they asked the reception for Seohyun and rushed to the floor she was in. They saw two women right outside the operating room, and figured it had to be Seohyun's mother and her friend who'd picked the phone. They sat on a distance, and San put his head in his hands as they waited.

Yuri, who had noticed the two boys, came towards them, asking if one of them was indeed Yunho. "We're praying for the best, but the doctors say it's risky. You both should head home, this surgery might take a while."

"It's fine," San finally said, "I'll wait."

Yuri raised a brow but then nodded, saying she was going to grab some coffee for Seohyun's mother and she'd grab some for them too. After drinking and some comforting from both sides, having found Seohyun's mother fallen asleep, the boys decided to get some air.

They walked in the hospital garden which was pretty big, lit by several lamps, and some of the patients could be seen sitting or walking. San's eyes were on the ground; he was afraid if he looked up he'd cry.

Yunho patted San's back and he put his face in his hands, sighing. He'd never imagine this. And the way Seohyun had been last night, so scared, he should have known. The things she said, he should have believed it wasn't just her being paranoid.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa came along with Yeosang; the rest lived too far away and couldn't join at this hour. Yeosang looked visibly pale and he kept rubbing his hands as if he felt cold. Upon asking, Yunho told them she was still in surgery, and yes, her mom was here with a friend too.

They sat in the garden. Seonghwa had bought some sandwiches from home; he knew some of them wouldn't have had dinner yet.

"You should eat, San," he said, "We don't know how long the surgery is gonna be. It's no good if you're on an empty stomach." He handed him a sandwich and San halfheartedly nibbled on it. The rest of them were pretty much silent too, at loss for words. They found comfort in just being together.

After finishing, they decided to go up and check the situation and maybe go back home to sleep. San dusted his clothes as he walked, and stopped dead in his tracks as he heard a familiar voice call his name.

"San."

The rest of them paused, looking back at San, whose eyes were wide with terror. "What's wrong?" Hongjoong asked.

San dreadfully turned back as if not quite believing, and the water bottle he'd been holding slipped out of his hand.

It couldn't be.

In front of him was Seohyun, unscratched, smiling sadly.

She was a ghost.

-----------------

"Seohyun?"

San couldn't believe his eyes. Seohyun stood unscratched in front of him, but it was not her. It couldn't be. She was in an accident, how could she be in front of him like this?

A cry of pain escaped from Yeosang as he realized, covering his ears as if that could mean he was wrong. Hongjoong and Seonghwa looked at each other, and Yunho stepped towards San, stopping when he found him staring in the distance.

"How are you... here?" San managed to ask, walking towards her, but she took a step back, leaving San's hand dangling in the air. His brows were furrowed in a pained expression.

"I don't know, San," Seohyun said, smiling sadly. San went for her abruptly, and his hand went through her.

"No... This can't be...." San's knees gave out and Yunho rushed to him, massaging his back as tears finally escaped his eyes. He sat down, his face in his hands, now almost touching the ground. Seohyun bent near him as if she could touch him.

"It's my fault," San sniffed. Yunho wiped his eyes, looking back Hongjoong- pale with shock, Seonghwa clinging to him, holding Yeosang's trembling hand.

"It's not your fault. It's that witch's fault. And you have to listen-"

"It's mine," San whispered. Seohyun bit her lip as she began to speak but was cut again as he said, "I'm sorry I didn't pick your phone."

"I know what happened, don't worry-"

"I'm sorry-"

"CHOI SAN LISTEN TO ME FOR A SECOND!" Seohyun shouted and San jerked, forcing his head up to face her. "I don't think I'm dead. Not fully, at least. You have to go and ask the details."

"What do you mean? You're a ghost, doesn't that mean-"

"Maybe not. Please do that."

San nodded, explaining to the others that there was a possibility she was alive, though it did not make sense to him. They started walking to the building, and Seohyun said, "And please wipe your faces. Don't show that you know anything. I don't want my mom to know that I'm a ghost, even if I'm dead."

San winced at that but did so, and they went upstairs in the waiting area, where Seohyun's mother was crying. Yuri was patting her back but looked okay. Upon seeing San and Yunho with other friends, she whispered something to Seohyun's mother, who casted a glance at them and nodded, and Yuri walked to them.

"Seohyun's alive for now. She's in a coma. The surgery was successful but this was unavoidable, so we can expect her to return sometime within 3 months or more, depending on Seohyun now. Can't say anything about that. You guys should go home. They'll let you see her tomorrow."

Seohyun sighed in relief despite herself, and the boys finally managed a smile and asked San if she was here. San nodded, looking at Seohyun. She smiled happily now for San's sake, but he was still gloomy.

"You're gonna smile back or I'm gonna haunt you in your dreams, Choi San."

San let out a short laugh. "I guess you can do that now. Let's go out."

They went to an empty street and San asked Seohyun what had happened. She told him how the woman had used San as a bait for her to call her out. San told her that Gayoung and Youngjae had only taken his phone, assuring her he'd been home all day. Seohyun assured him it was still not his fault, that sooner or later this would've happened.

"So where's the ghost now? If you're still alive, won't it come after you again?" Seonghwa asked.

"I'll have to ask around," Seohyun said. "I can actually teleport now. I'm gonna try and find Gayoung and Youngjae. They must have been pretty scared if they did her bidding."

"Stay safe, Seohyun," San said, and Seohyun brought her hand near his face as if she meant to touch him.

"I will. Don't worry. Go home guys, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, we'll tell the others too now," Yunho said, "They'll be shocked."

"San, please tell Yeosang to stop trembling. I'm alive!"

San looked at Yeosang. He still seemed pale and his hands wouldn't stop shaking. So he did what Seohyun would have done for him; took his hands in his own, telling him it was alright. Seohyun was alive.

"I just can't believe it," Yeosang said, "For a second- when you said her name- I thought-"

"Yeah, I know, me too," San admitted. "It's alright. She's okay."

They waved her goodbye as they went home, and Seohyun cursed as loudly as she could, now that no one could hear her. Then she decided it was time to teleport to that hill, Gayoung and Youngjae must be given an earful.

She closed her eyes shut and imagined being sucked into space. The familiar tingling sensation ran from the top of her head to the tip of her toes; one moment she was here and the next, cold wind hit her face. She was there.

She peeked into the 'cave', basically a home to the ghost siblings. She found them sitting with their knees close to their chest. It was crazy how much they were like each other.

Seohyun cleared her throat and walked in, and the two of them stumbled back, almost falling.

"Are you alive?

"Are you dead?"

"Neither," Seohyun replied, "I did not know going into a coma would make me a ghost."

"Seohyun, I am so sorry-"

"Don't," Seohyun put a hand in the air, shutting them up. "Just tell me what made you do this."

"She threatened to hurt our parents. She knew where they lived. They're who we're staying here for, if she hurt them... I'm sorry," Gayoung looked down in shame.

"She actually asked us to 'take care' of San. We didn't promise her anything, just that he wouldn't interfere," Youngjae added.

"Well, thank you for that," Seohyun smiled, sitting near them. "It must have been hard for you both."

The two of them looked at each other, on the verge of crying.

"I swear if a tear falls down your faces, I'm personally gonna kick you out of this ghost realm."

Gayoung laughed a little, quickly wiping her eyes, and Youngjae did the same. They were just kids, Seohyun thought. They shouldn't have had to think it was their fault or anything.

"But what happened with the witch?" Seohyun asked.

"After she thought she killed you, we saw her screaming. We had just teleported to you when we sensed you were in danger. She just... vanished. And this time I mean like dissipated in the air like ashes. I guess she died again..." Youngjae said.

"Wow. Serves her right!" Seohyun sighed in relief.

"Did you meet San?" Gayoung asked and Seohyun nodded, looking grim.

"I don't think you should leave him alone tonight. He's gonna take this badly."

Seohyun's heart sank. She was right. Seohyun expected San to be alright, but that was just her own expectation. She wasn't actually so sure he would be.

"I don't know where he lives," Seohyun said.

"We'll take you to her," Gayoung said, holding out her hand to her and squeezing it, muttering an earnest thank you. Seohyun nodded, and they teleported once again.

It was an average looking house, much like the ones along the whole street. But somehow it felt more like a home than Seohyun's plain house looked.

"Do you think I can enter?" She wondered out loud, and Gayoung grinned.

"You should try. You should be able to since you're a mediator anyway."

Seohyun shrugged, taking a careful step forward. Indeed, she was able to enter. It seemed like she did have special benefits being a ghost. "I feel like I'm intruding."

"Oh he's your boyfriend, just go," Gayoung waved her hand at her, dismissing her as Youngjae grinned, wriggling hi brows at her. The two snickered, waving bye and teleporting back.

Seohyun stood awkwardly at the front door, afraid she'd be intruding their privacy. She paced back and forth, wondering if she should call San, or just go up and give him a little scare in the process. He probably wasn't in the mood for fun and jokes. She'd seen his face when he'd thought she'd die, and it was something she wished she could erase from her memory.

While she was biting her nails in confusion, she heard the front door open, and for a second, she panicked. But it was only San.

"I saw you from my window," he said, holding the door open, "Come in."

Seohyun bit her lip and nodded, entering. San closed the door behind him and led her upstairs. They went past his sister's room before entering his. Seohyun looked around, his love for plushies obvious by his large collection.

"Which one is Shiber?" Seohyun asked.

"That one," San pointed at the bed. It was a shiba plushie. San slept with it, it seemed.

"Poor thing," Seohyun grinned. San gave her a little smile as he motioned for her to sit. He sat on his bed and Seohyun brought the chair close. "Not how I thought I'd come to your home."

San shook his head, looking down. Seohyun almost leaned forward to touch him until she realized she couldn't. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not, to be honest," San began, meeting eyes with her, "I really thought you... were dead. When you appeared like that. I'm still not over that feeling."

Seohyun felt guilty. She'd found herself a ghost at the site of the accident, right when they were taking her to the hospital. She'd made it there, but she couldn't bring herself to step inside the hospital. She'd spotted San and Yunho from there. "I'm sorry."

"Oh no, you don't have to be," San shook his head, "Not your fault. I just wish I could... touch you right now. Hold you so I'd know you're real and it's not me going crazy."

"I know San," Seohyun almost whispered, "Me too."

They looked at each other sadly, and Seohyun put her hand in front of him, and for a moment San thought she was gonna ask for a high-five. "Put your hand here," she said.

San put his hand forward, and before he could touch, Seohyun pulled hers a little back. "No touching. Just... close. Like this," she put their hands close until there was only a hair's breadth of distance between them. San could have swore he could feel her warmth.

She smiled at him and drew her hand back. "The sibling duo was threatened by that bitch too. I feel sorry for them."

"That explains," San thought, "they didn't seem the type to just turn away like this."

"They apologized thoroughly. But it's okay now. It's only a matter of waking up from that coma... If I can make it."

"Keep your hopes up," San scolded and she smiled sheepishly. "How do you feel though? I mean, now that you're... a ghost. Does it feel any different that being a human?"

"I don't exactly feel weird inside," Seohyun realized, "But there does seem to be something different about this world now. It's like there's a veil over my eyes. Everything is a little cloudy now. Like I have bad eyesight."

"Does that mean you can't see me clearly?" San wondered.

"No, it's like there's a filter now. You know like the ones in the camera where you can decrease the clarity? That's how it feels. Weird."

San nodded. "Will you sleep?"

"I honestly don't know," Seohyun admitted. "I'll watch you sleep though. Maybe that might put me to sleep."

"I don't think I can sleep with you watching me," San huffed. Seohyun let out a short laugh and asked, "Do you want me to go?"

"No- stay. Please," he said, getting up to turn off the lights so there was only light from the little lamp on his desk. He lied down on his bed, facing her, watching her as she stood by the window, peeking out.

She was a ghost, San thought. He wanted her to wake up as soon as possible. He wasn't sure if he could live if Seohyun, god forbid, died and remained a ghost. He couldn't even imagine it.

As if sensing his thoughts, Seohyun turned, staring at him for a moment, those cheekbones pronounced in the shadows. She walked towards him slowly as he watched, and dropped to her knees in front of him, resting her head on the little space on the bed near San, and he crouched too, until they faced each other. She tested once, let her hand hover over his, putting it on top of him- but it passed through, making San shiver a little. So she drew her hand a bit back, until it almost touched at the fingertips.

They stared at each other, and San's eyelid drooped, shutting as he fell asleep. Seohyun closed her eyes too.

--------------------

Seohyun must have actually fell asleep because when she awoke, when she opened her eyes, she was not in San's room but in front of her body, lying still with tubes coming out of everywhere. Her mother was sleeping rather uncomfortably on the sofa.

Her mother. She looked disheveled, and it made Seohyun gasp a little with surprise. She had always seen her so composed, so calm and full of control. She couldn't bring herself to go to her mother when she'd seen her crying of relief, back when they'd heard that her surgery had been successful.

She was glad that her Aunt Yuri had kept her company. She would have to thank her when she woke up. If she ever did. Seohyun shook her head, ridding herself of such thoughts.

Seohyun figured this was where she was gonna wake up every time she slept. She peeked out of the window to see that it was already morning. She felt like she hadn't slept at all, which was weird.

Her mother groaned, rubbing her eyes as she woke up. She looked like she had forgotten for a moment where she was, and as she took in her surroundings, Seohyun saw realization hit her as she jerked violently.

Her mother stared at her for a long while, before sighing and throwing her head in her hands. She thought her state must have been a nuisance for her ever-busy mother, but then she saw the tears fall down her mother's eyes as she hastily wiped at them.

She fell back on her seat, laughing, probably at the situation. And then she spoke:

"When your dad left me, I thought nothing could break me anymore."

Seohyun's eyes went a little wide at the sudden mention of her dad, who had passed away due to his heart problem a little after Seohyun's birth. Her mother had told her fragments of her life with him; they had met at work and fallen in love, spending a few years together before marrying and having a daughter.

"Your dad... he had my whole heart. So you can't blame me for my lack of love because it went with him to the grave. I tried loving you, and I thought it would be very hard. But somehow... I didn't even realize that I already loved you, way before you were born. I loved the thought of you."

Seohyun's heart sank. She thought she was invading her privacy by hearing all this... But technically, her mother was talking to her, wasn't she?

"I realize now. Now that you're looking like your dad in his last moments, I realize how afraid I am to lose you. If you followed him, I'd just be an empty shell."

Seohyun wanted to hug her mom and tell her it was alright. She wanted to give her a sign that she was here... but she figured it would do more harm than good.

"I hope you come back, Seohyun. My little girl. I promise to be a better mother, just- come back."

Seohyun's eyes shone with silver as she smiled at her mother's word. So her mother really did love her. She watched as she got up, straightening her clothes. "I'm going to distract myself until you're back. And then I will give you all the time in this world. Take you where you want to. Act like a proper mother that I should have done years ago. I'm- I'm sorry for not doing that earlier."

She walked to Seohyun's body, planting a kiss on her forehead and Seohyun could have sworn she felt a tingle of it too.

Her mother left after smiling at her, and Seohyun inhaled. She needed to distract herself too.

------------

"I'm making a video of this, and no one is gonna stop me."

"What if someone sees it, Yeosang?" Hongjoong asked, shaking his head.

"I don't care," he replied as he did exactly as he had said. Make a video of Seohyun drumming furiously.

Except you could not see Seohyun and it looked like the drums were playing itself.

"I could start a YouTube channel and earn money from videos like these," he smirked.

"If you start earning money because I'm on the borderline of death," Seohyun had stopped drumming now, "I'll actually haunt you for the rest of my life."

San, who was watching the whole thing while sulking on the sofa, told Yeosang exactly what she had said.

"Good. At least I'll have company for the rest of my life."

Seohyun threw the drumstick, aiming for his head, and it hit home as he yelled in pain, a few colourful words escaping his mouth.

"You deserved it," Hongjoong laughed. Yeosang threw the drumstick back and Seohyun caught it, putting it down. She was done playing. She took the notebook they'd given her for communication and wrote: If I do end up dying, I'll help you all make money. At least I'll still be useful after death, you morons.

She held the notebook for them to read, trying to hide the view from San, but he ended up peeking too, and shook his head again, sulking even more.

"Back with her death jokes," Hongjoong looked at the book with disapproval.

Seohyun threw the book back at the table and came to sit with San, mirroring his sulking position. "It's so boring to have only you to actually talk to, no offence."

"Some taken," San said, "Be grateful I can see you. Imagine if I hadn't followed you that day."

"Actually grateful for that," Seohyun grinned. A ghost of smile crept on his face.

She heard the door of the warehouse open as the rest of them arrived. "Is Seohyun here?" Wooyoung asked, looking worried.

Hongjoong said yes, and he looked around saying, "Wherever you are, I'm so sorry about the accident, Seohyun. I don't want you to die, please come back! I can't lose you!"

Seohyun picked the pillow and threw it with considerable force at Wooyoung, who screamed and Mingi laughed. "Glad to see you're in good spirits."

"Are you okay though?" Jongho asked, having realized she must be sitting with San, "Does it... hurt or anything?"

San told them she said it was fine, it was just like being alive except no one can see her anymore which is making her sad and bored. He skipped the part where she had said that San was kinda boring these days too.

"Glad to hear," Wooyoung put the bag of snacks on the table. "I bought snacks, but... can you eat?"

Seohyun decided it was time to test that theory. She hadn't felt the need to eat, but she supposed theoretically she should be able to eat. She picked a packet of chips and opened it, the rest of them watching her curiously. She picked one in her hand, and then slowly put it in her mouth.

She could eat.

She danced in victory, making the rest of them laugh as Yunho hooted, "Time to loot the stores!"

"Nice idea!" She yelled back, coming back to sit with San, offering him some. He refused first but she made him open his mouth and put one in it. "This feels good. It's like being able to touch you."

San smiled. He felt that too.

Seohyun got up, going to Seonghwa and waiting for him to open his mouth. He was confused for a second but then opened, and Seohyun put the chip in his mouth. "This feels weird," he muttered, but smiled.

One by one, Seohyun put chips in their mouths, making them laugh. Yeosang filmed the whole thing, saying he was gonna make a compilation video once she was back.

San watched her with a curious look in his eyes. She had been acting a bit... different. More cheerful than she should have been. Or maybe he was too gloomy? When Seohyun came back, San folded his arms. "Did something... happen today?"

Seohyun got quiet for a second before she told him about how she had heard her mom talk to her. San wished he could hug her. Even though she sat right next to him, she felt so distant. His heart ached.

"At least now you know for sure that your mother does love you, in her own way."

"I suppose so," Seohyun sighed, folding her arms, watching Mingi and Wooyoung have a little brawl over who was better at drums, "I haven't ever seen her like that. Makes me want to not... die. Not that it's in my control anymore."

"Don't think like that," San turned towards her, "Your willpower is important."

"Is it?" Seohyun countered, and San narrowed his eyes. "I'll have to test that theory-"

"Do not even THINK of trying something reckless-" His voice was raising.

"I'd like to see you stop me-"

"HEY!" San got up abruptly, and everyone turned to look at him, "Does your life mean nothing to you?"

Seohyun instantly got deja vu. He'd said something like this before too. She stared at him as he groaned and pinched his nose bridge in frustration, pacing back and forth and then stopping again. "I thought your life meant something to you now. You had friends- you had us. We love you and care about you so much. I care about you so much. Your mother does. But all you care about is yourself?"

"San-" Blood rushed to Seohyun's cheeks as she realized, "I didn't mean-"

"You did mean it, Seohyun," San sighed, "I- I thought you finally had something to live for."

"San, I do. Believe me, I do."

San looked at her, shaking his head, and Seohyun felt like she could disappear. "Think about it, Seohyun."

He turned and started to go, and Seohyun grabbed his hand- or tried to- but it passed right through.

"I need some time to clear my head," he muttered as he left.

Everyone watched San leave the warehouse, and their eyes went back to where San had been standing, where Seohyun now stood. She felt disappointed in herself. She slumped down on the sofa, the others realizing she was still here.

"What was that about?" Seonghwa asked out loud. Seohyun just clenched her hair as she groaned loudly, cursing herself, glad nobody could hear her right now.

Hongjoong came and sat near Seohyun, saying, "If you want to talk about it, I'm here."

Seohyun thought it was sweet of him. He'd brought the pen and notebook too, placing it in between them. Seohyun took it, scribbling in it.

I messed up big time

Hongjoong read it, scooting a little closer, the notebook seemingly in her lap. She wrote again:

I'm a disappointment to San.

Hongjoong shook his head, "You're not. Trust me, you're not." He took a deep breath, having figured out what the fight was about. "I know you've had it rough, and you're not used to all these new relations. But whatever happened, you can set it right. San won't stay angry, but he'll be truly disappointed if you don't."

Seohyun thought about, and didn't realize her tears were falling on the notebook. Hongjoong could see it.

"You haven't cried since the accident, right? You're very brave, Seohyun."

Seohyun laughed a bit as she realized, making her cry even harder. She scribbled Thanks in the notebook, putting it aside. She knew what she had to do. Apologize.

She got up, walking towards the piano. Seating herself, she tested the keys, giving everyone a little scare before she started to play.

It was the piece Joon Hyuk had taught her. It was utterly sad but beautiful, and it had took her months to get better at it. As she played, she realized her muscle memory was better now. So she lost herself in the sadness of it, her fingers dancing on the keyboard.

When she was finished, she opened her eyes, breathing. it took her a good minute to come back to reality, and when she did, everyone was staring at her. Or the piano.

"Tell me someone got it on their phone," Yeosang mumbled.

Seohyun threw her head back and laughed out loud as she watched the boys fight over why no one took the liberty of filming this moment.

-----------------

That night, Seohyun was pacing in the park near San's house, wondering how she should make things right. A simple 'sorry' wouldn't suffice. She wished she could touch him, hug him. Maybe that would have put more depth to the apology.

She was out of options. And as she was muttering to herself about how much of a bitch she had been, San came walking in, stopping abruptly when he saw her still pacing and cursing. She hadn't noticed yet. So he shook slightly with laughter as he heard her rather colourful vocabulary.

Seohyun sighed, looking up, and finally saw San, her heart sinking to her feet. "Gosh, you gave me a scare," she put a hand to her heart as she breathed.

"It's not like you can die of a heart attack now," San said.

Seohyun paused, narrowing her eyes at him. "Excuse me?"

San shrugged, but lost his demeanor as he finally laughed. "Oh how the tables have turned!" Seohyun gasped, kicking a pebble at him, glad when it struck his leg and he winced.

She gave him a long look. "Are you okay?"

"I am," San said, motioning to the swings and they took one. As they bobbed lightly, Seohyun finally took a deep breath and said, "I am sorry, San."

"For what?" he asked, looking at her.

"For everything," Seohyun said. "I've been a terrible friend."

"No you're not," he smiled. "I just wish you'd give yourself more credit. You don't have to apologize to me. You should be apologizing to yourself."

"Damn, that's poetic," Seohyun said and she could've sworn she heard San mutter 'insufferable', but he still laughed. "Alright. I'll give myself more credit. I won't make death jokes again too."

"Now what would Seohyun be without her death jokes?"

"That is a very valid point," Seohyun smiled. "Alright, I'll just... be a better person. You know."

It seemed like San was enjoying her struggle to find words. "I know what?"

Seohyun's jaw tensed. "Be glad I can't hit you, San."

San smirked.

That cocky little-

Seohyun got up, searching for something to throw at San, who just laughed loudly as he ran away from her.

---------

Days passed. Weeks passed.

A month passed- yet Seohyun was not awake.

Every morning, Seohyun awoke at the hospital, no matter where she slept. She had made the warehouse her home now, since going back to her house was just a reminder that she was not alive, but not dead either.

She wasn't sure how she felt about this situation. The first few days, everyone had been super sensitive about what they said in front of her. But now, everyone was busy with school too. So Seonghwa advised her to attend school too, to not get behind her studies. But Seohyun said that technically, she was still in hospital which meant she could skip school now.

It took her one day without them, bored out of her mind, and she decided that yes, she would go to school too.

So everyday, she sat in her seat, not really paying attention to the lectures but still feeling like she was a part of this world. A part of the living.

And she'd help a lot of ghosts too. Ghosts didn't find her like they did when she was alive, but occasionally she'd stumble upon a lost ghost and help them out, saying she was 'experienced' in helping the fellow-dead.

She was out helping a ghost, a little girl barely 7 years old. She missed her mom and was still hanging on because she had to give her mom a gift, she had promised to. Seohyun's heart went out for the little girl, and she decided to help her.

Seohyun took the girl to her own house, and the little girl went 'wow' when she realized she could touch things now. So Seohyun gave her a nice page and colour pencils while the girl made a drawing. The gift to her mom.

Seohyun hadn't been home in quite a while now. She walked around her room, memories of San and Jiwoo coming to her mind. She smiled as she took the painting of Jiwoo in her hands.

"I'm done!" The girl said, and Seohyun placed the painting back, going to the desk.

"So your name is Yerim?" She asked and Yerim nodded. She had made a cartoon of herself and her mom, labelling it.

"That is a beautiful drawing, Yerim. I'm sure your mom would love it."

Yerim smiled and Seohyun pinched her cheeks. "Now let's give that to your mom."

Yerim guided her to her home, and they went inside, deciding to hide the painting in Yerim's room so when her mom would come, she'd find it, and think she had already made it before she died.

"Thank you, unnie!" Yerim hugged Seohyun and she marvelled at the feeling. She hadn't touched anyone since she'd been a ghost.

Seohyun picked the girl in her arms. "You're so light!" Yerim laughed and hugged her again. They got out of the house, walking randomly, Yerim still in her arms. The black cat started following them too.

"The cat can see you?" Yerim asked.

"Oh yes. When I was... alive, it was my friend. It's still my friend when I'm ghost."

"That's cool," Yerim said as she waved at the cat.

Seohyun asked, "Now that you have done what you stayed here for, you should go now. There's a better world, where you'll wait for your mom. She'll be there soon."

"Will she?" She asked and Seohyun nodded.

"Can we go to the park over there? I used to come there to play with my mom. It has so many flowers too."

"Of course," Seohyun looked at where she had pointed. The park was full of kids and their parents, playing around. "That's a nice place."

Seohyun dropped Yerim and she asked if she would be able to touch the cat. She squealed in surprise when she could.

"What's the name of this cat?"

"Ah. I haven't named it yet..." Was it Shiber or Byeol?

"You can call it Yerim!"

Seohyun paused. She got the strange urge to stretch her cheek.

"You're very cute, Yerim. I'll call her that," Seohyun smiled.

Yerim nodded, looking at the kids, and Seohyun watched her fade away. Feeling the sudden urge to cry, she shook her head and motioned for the cat to follow her.

After roaming around aimlessly, Seohyun reached the warehouse, finding it utterly dark. Not even the usual light was on.

"Where did everyone go?" She muttered, turning to go out, almost jumping out of her skin when she heard what sounded like a blast.

It was a party popper.

"Happy birthday!"

Seohyun turned to find everyone clapping and holding a cake, the only light in the room from the candles. San was laughing at Seohyun's horrified expressions. She truly had forgotten that it was her birthday. She shook her head, laughing.

"You guys, you're- how did you plan this?"

"It took us days to plan," San admitted, and Wooyoung said, "We had to think of a way you'd be busy today."

"But I was busy today because- no way. No way!" Seohyun looked at San in disbelief and he nodded. "I found her before you did and asked her to keep you busy. She was more than happy to."

"Wow," Seohyun shook her head, pinching her nose bridge but smiling at the effort.

"Blow the candles," Seonghwa said, and Yeosang took to his filming.

Seohyun felt strangely happy as she blew her candles, not bothering to make a wish. Hongjoong turned on the lights and she looked around, noticing the various gifts lying in the corner, and her favourite dishes on the table.

San led them to the table, where she cut the cake and made everyone take a bite from her hands. She couldn't thank them enough; this was the first time she had a surprise- or even a celebration.

"I wish the circumstances were different," Seohyun sighed.

San told them what she said and Yunho answered, "It doesn't feel any different. Only we can't see or hear you, so we have to visualize. Oh, and we get more jump-scares now."

Seohyun laughed, and they dug into the food.

After they all were done, they asked her to unwrap her gifts. So Seohyun grabbed the largest one first, which was from Yunho. It was a school bag, with space for laptop too.

"I noticed yours was kind of worn out," Yunho grinned. Seohyun scribbled on the notebook, saying 'Thank you for noticing! :)'. The others applauded him for the approval.

The next one was from Mingi. It was a beautiful leather band watch, which she loved, saying she wished she could put it on right now, and wondering for a moment that if she did, where would it go when she was back?

Yeosang had gifted her some chocolates from abroad, conveniently his father had been out of country. And since he knew her love for chocolate was one to be appreciated, he decided on it. Seohyun almost cried when she spotted her favourite ones.

"I do have another gift, but you'll have to wait for it," he admitted. Seohyun narrowed her eyes, scribbling 'It better be worth it' and moving on to the next.

Jongho had given her a scented set; shampoo, lotion and candle. Hongjoong got her a cap and sunglasses, rather stylish, and Seohyun had to admit she was impressed by his choice. Seonghwa had gifted her a black cat plushie- very, very similar to Yerim the cat. Seohyun admitted it might be her favourite gift. Wooyoung had gifted her a set of earrings, and she appreciated that it was just her taste. And San got her a couple ring, making everyone including herself gasp when they saw it.

"I didn't know what to get..." San scratched the back of his neck.

"No, I love it. It's so pretty!" It was just her style; a silver band with a tiny diamond in the center. Seohyun tried it on, showing it to San excitedly who laughed, approving. He wore his own too.

"Aw, this is so sweet. Except it looks like San proposed to himself," Wooyoung said, earning a smack from Seonghwa.

Seohyun took it off, handing it to San. "I'll wear it when I'm back."

"You wanna go for a walk?" San asked, and she nodded, getting up and asking him to convey her thanks to everyone, that they should keep this stuff here and she'll properly receive them and thank them when she was back.

After everyone said goodbye, San and Seohyun started walking aimlessly around, San telling her how it had taken them a whole week to plan, which included panicking over gifts too. Since it was their first time with Seohyun, it was more difficult to decide on what she'd like.

"I would have loved anything you gave me, even if it was stupid. I appreciate the gesture more."

"I know," San smiled at her. Seohyun was looking at him with a smile on her face, taking in the details on his pretty face, that she didn't notice a bike rushing and on its way to hit her.

Of course she wouldn't get hit, but out of impulse, San grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the side, "Even if you're a ghost, you should be careful-"

"How- how did you did you just touch me?"

San looked at her, then looked down at his hands, then looked at her again. "Did I?"

Seohyun frowned. Slowly, taking a step towards him, she touched his face, and they sucked in their breath.

She could touch him.

Seohyun laughed in disbelief, touching his face, feeling every angle and curve of it, and San's hands went to grab her hands, marvelling at the touch. He hugged her, not quite believing it until he could feel her arms around her.

Seohyun broke the hug, joining their foreheads, for a moment forgetting everything else as she kissed him. God, it had been too long. They kissed each other in a frenzy, until San felt like someone dumped water on him and he broke apart.

"How did this happen?"

"I don't know," Seohyun breathed, "I don't know, I-"

Seohyun fell to the ground, clenching her head in her hands as she cried out in pain.

"What's happening?" San asked, panic lacing his voice, and Seohyun muttered that she did not know.

"I think I'm dying," Seohyun said, wincing because of the sharp pain, "Or something's happening. I'm being pulled back. San- I'm scared."

San was sitting down with her now, holding her in her arms, caressing her head, "It's gonna be alright," he said, pressing a kiss to her head, "It's gonna be alright."

He didn't know how long he stayed there comforting her as she breathed and faded. And he did not know how long he stared at the empty space in front of him, where Seohyun had just been.

-----------------

It was utter chaos at the hospital- the doctors and the nurses were rushing around, everyone was borderline panicking. Seohyun was going into shock- her mother was crying hysterically as she watched the doctors go around her in a frenzy. A nurse told her to pray- she would either make it or pass away.

Her mother watched her heart beat flatline and the doctors resuscitate her. Her mother almost fainted as she watched the monitors- she was having flashbacks from the time her husband had passed away. Her friend Yuri came rushing in, leading her outside, rubbing her back and telling her it was better to wait and pray instead of watch what was going on.

Meanwhile, San, who had been staring at the empty space in front of him, where Seohyun had just been, slapped himself to reality and called Hongjoong, quickly telling him what had happened as he rushed through the streets, trying to find a taxi. The boys joined him, their faces pale, and they ran to the main street until they found taxis and drove to the hospital, not being able to calm their loudly thumping hearts.

As soon as they reached the hospital, they looked at each other once, nodding, scared for what they would get to hear. Most of them were trembling now- but they followed each other to the ICU, where they spotted the doctors coming out of the room.

Yunho spotted Yuri and ran to her, "How's Seohyun? What happened to her?"

Yuri narrowed her eyes at Yunho, "How did you know...?"

Yunho internally cursed himself before making up an excuse, "I was passing by here when I heard the doctors call the others to Seohyun's room- I called the rest. It wasn't looking good."

Yuri nodded, "She's okay now. She's awake, in fact. Look," Yuri pointed at the door that was slightly open, and Yunho saw her mother smiling through tears, holding Seohyun's hand, who was smiling too.

Yunho sighed in relief, almost falling on his knees. He thanked Yuri and motioned the rest to join him, and the rest knew it was good news with the smile on Yunho's face. They watched the mother and daughter smile and talk to each other, and they hugged each other in relief, their eyes wet.

Seohyun spotted the group of boys outside, waving at them. The boys waved back and they watched her say something to her mother, who nodded, getting up after kissing her forehead and coming out.

"I never thought Seohyun could have so many friends one day," Her mother smiled at them.

"It's good to meet you," Jongho said, and they bowed in greeting.

"You can meet her now- try not to be too loud," she laughed, waving at them.

The boys walked slowly to her room, taking in Seohyun's appearance- there were shadows under her eyes, a few scars on her face and hands, but her smile was the only thing they could see.

"Come here. I missed you all so much!"

Jongho went first, shaking hands with her, the rest coming one by one, holding back from hugging her or ruffling her hair because of the bandages on her head and everywhere else. They were all a little speechless, having seen Seohyun after so long now.

Even San was speechless- he had seen Seohyun everyday, but not like this.

"I thought you'd be happier to see me," Seohyun looked at San.

"I... I am, I just-" San shook his head, looking down as he trembled from trying to hold back his tears, "I really thought... that you were gone."

Seohyun sighed, pursing her lips. "I have given you all a hard time, haven't I?"

They all shook their heads, Mingi and Wooyoung rubbing San's back who was trying his hardest not to cry but ultimately failed. Hongjoong said they'd give them a moment and they left the room.

"San. Come on, look at me. San!"

San sniffed, wiping his eyes before looking at her. Tears formed in her own eyes and she wiped them.

"I'm so sorry, San. I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry for anything," San leaned forward, taking her hand in his- it had been too long. "Nothing to be sorry about, except scaring the shit out of me."

Seohyun laughed, "I scared the shit out of myself too, not gonna lie."

"I can't believe you're real," San admitted, bringing her hand to his face, reveling the feeling of her touch, "I am awake, am I not?"

Seohyun slapped his face lightly with her other hand. "Very much awake."

San took his sweet time not saying anything, just looking at her face, his lips on her hand.

"Say something, San. You're being weird."

San shook his head, kissing her hand. "I am never leaving you, ever. Get that in your head. No amount of death jokes are going to scare me away. You're stuck with me now until I die."

Seohyun flushed at the sudden confession. "Are you sure? I can make horrible jokes."

"As sure as I will ever be."

Seohyun smiled until she was laughing, tears running down her face. "God, I love you, San. I'm not leaving you too. Even if you're angry with me, disappointed in me, or whatever, I'll keep bugging you."

"Good to hear," San grinned.

"Come here," Seohyun motioned, and San asked her if it was okay. Seohyun just grabbed his collar and gave him a light peck on his lips.

"I can't hug you right now, but I can do this."

San smiled, returning the favour. They both stared at each other, smiling.

"Now that is a creepy sight I wish I will never see again. Tell me you got that on camera, Wooyoung."

"Right on," Wooyoung replied to Hongjoong, and Seohyun tried throwing her pillow at them, groaning in pain when she turned too harshly. San told her to calm down, throwing the pillow himself.

"It's our turn now, you've been seeing her for months now!" Yeosang shouted, and Seohyun laughed as she watched them push San out of the way, making him sit in the corner and pout while they sat in front of her, taking turns to talk to her.

"How did it feel while you were a ghost?" Wooyoung asked.

"Like I was alive, but not real?"

"Did it hurt when you became a ghost, or when you went back?" Seonghwa asked.

"When I went back, yes, I felt like my head was about to burst-"

"Can you still see ghosts now?" Mingi asked.

"I don't know yet-"

"Let her rest!" Hongjoong clapped once, "We'll have plenty of time to catch up when she comes home."

Seohyun pouted and Hongjoong patted her shoulder, "Glad you're back, Seohyun."

Seohyun smiled, wriggling her brows at him and they all waved at her before leaving, San coming to kiss her hand once before leaving. Seohyun sighed- he was being so soft.

Her mother came in, trying to stifle her smile but failing. "You have many friends now, it seems."

"I do," Seohyun nodded, smiling back, "I have a boyfriend too."

Her mother raised one eyebrow, putting her hands on her hips. "Lee Seohyun! Why didn't you tell me earlier? Which one was he?"

"The one who left last, San."

"Oh," her mother gave her a thumbs up, "How did it happen?"

Seohyun told her to sit because it was a long story, and then told her all about how she had met San, how he was able to see ghosts now too, because of her, and how they, at one point, started liking each other.

"Were you a ghost when you were in a coma?"

Seohyun bit her lip, nodding.

"And these friends knew?"

"They did. San could see me, but he couldn't touch me. At least not until tonight, just before it happened."

Her mother sighed, leaning back. "Is there a reason none of them, and not even you, bothered to tell me that you were a ghost?"

"I wanted to- I slept every night and woke up here, with you. I heard you talk to me. I couldn't break your heart, mom. Not when I wasn't sure if I was going to make it."

"I understand," She nodded, earnest, "How did this even happen?"

"It was an old ghost- a vengeful one. Apparently when you kill a 'mediator'- that's what they call me, there are a few moments before the mediator thing passes to another person. During those moments, ghosts can trespass and interact with humans and whatnot. At least that's what that bitch told me-"

"Language-"

"I'm talking about the ghost who tried to kill me."

"Oh, that bitch, go on."

"So apparently ghosts can't kill the mediators. So she tried doing it to me indirectly, which ended up killing her."

"Good riddance! But I hope you will have stopped seeing ghosts now. I don't want you to get in more trouble," her mother's eyes were full of worry.

"I don't think that happened, but at least nobody will try to kill me now."

The mother and daughter sat thinking for a few moments. Finally, her mother spoke, "You're getting discharged in three days. If you want to take a break from school, if you want to go on a trip, I can do that-"

"Thank you, mom," Seohyun smiled, "I just want to live like I had been living. Normally. We can go somewhere during the New Year holidays if you're free- otherwise, I just want to go to school, spend time with the boys, do normal stuff."

"I took extra days off," her mother nodded, "We can go visit your grandparents in the countryside."

"Sure! I haven't seen them in forever."

"You can go with the boys somewhere if you want to before New Year. I won't be home for Christmas- I have business in Japan. But if you want me home for Christmas-"

"Please, it's really okay, mom," Seohyun nodded furiously, "I won't be alone this time. Just promise you'll be home for New Year."

"I promise," she smiled.

"Done. I'll plan something with the boys."

Three days later, Seohyun was finally discharged, the bandages off her and she felt light. Seohyun took a look in the mirror when she got home- the wounds on her face would fade with time. She was alive, and that was all that mattered.

The boys had paid a visit every night, and it was time for her to return the favour. Seohyun decided she would buy something for them each- a Christmas gift, a gift because she woke up. She told them all to be there at night while she went shopping.

Two hours later, several shopping bags in her hands, she stood outside the warehouse. The air felt incredibly different now that she was alive.

Seohyun closed her eyes, relishing the feel of the wind on her skin, blowing the hair away from her face.

"Home."

------------------

"Hi guys!" Seohyun stood awkwardly, waving the bags in her hands. The boys all turned, hooting as they rushed towards her, and for a moment, Seohyun almost had a heart attack.

"STOP!" She shouted, and they stopped in their tracks, realizing their mistake. "One at a time, okay? Go back and sit."

They obeyed, muttering things under their breath and San approached her, taking some of the bags away from her.

"Can I hug you first?"

"Not fair!" Wooyoung shouted.

Seohyun laughed while San glared at Wooyoung, "We'll have plenty of time later, but here," She gave him a brief hug, sighing into it. It was the first time she was going to hug everyone after the accident.

She had been discharged from the hospital the next night, after the doctors made sure everything was okay. The bandages were off now, mostly. Some scars remained- one running down her temple as well. She had been home the past days, not being able to meet anyone, taking her time to get her energy back, only going out shopping with her mom.

"Alright," Seohyun placed the bags in front of the table where everyone sat, "This is going to be a random pick. I got you all gifts for Christmas, so I'm going to pick a bag. Here-" Seohyun picked one, "Yeosang!"

Yeosang got up haughtily, flipping his hair, motioning at them to applaud and they did, faces grumpy as he approached Seohyun and hugged her, almost picking her up in the air.

"Don't crush me!" Seohyun laughed, and Yeosang finally broke the hug, patting her head.

"We didn't get you anything for Christmas yet."

"You don't need to, you got me enough for the birthday-"

"We'll just give you food then," Jongho suggested.

"Deal," Seohyun winked at him, handing Yeosang the bag. "Open it."

Yeosang looked at her pointedly, opening the box to reveal a small flying drone. Yeosang gasped in surprise and Seohyun looked proud.

"I may have noticed you doodling drones in your notebook."

Yeosang laughed and thanked her, saying she knew him well. Seohyun picked the next bag.

"Seonghwa!"

Seonghwa pumped a fist in the air as he ran to Seohyun, hugging her.

"You hug like my mom does," Seohyun muttered.

"Glad you're back," he said, kissing her temple before he broke the hug. He opened the gift to reveal a set of-

"Hey, how did you know to get me these!" Seonghwa looked at Seohyun in surprise while the others tried to peek at what Seonghwa was holding, who took the boxes out to reveal action figurines. Seohyun smiled as she watched the rest laugh in approval.

"When you guys crashed my first date and took me shopping, I may have noticed you eyeing these in the shop- I don't know what category they are- I just memorized one of the toys of that set and went there and found it, to my relief."

"You're very observant," Seonghwa eyed her and she curtsied, earning another thanks.

"Can I come next?" Jongho said, pointing at the giant bear wrapped messily lying in the corner, "It's a bit too obvious now to pretend I don't see it."

Seohyun bit her lip, trying not to laugh, "Please do."

Jongho smiled, skipping to Seohyun, hugging her such that she was dangling in the air, arms flapping wildly at the side, and then the two skipped to where the bear was- it was about Seohyun's size. Jongho tore the wrappers and laughed-

"You really had to?"

Seohyun smiled at the apple necklace the bear wore- it was a special touch she added to Jongho's gift. "I mean, I could have gifted you a crate of apples-"

Yeosang laughed out loud, causing the others to laugh as well, "The apples wouldn't have lasted a day."

"It's not that bad!" Jongho sulked, dragging the bear to the couch and hugging it, pouting. Seohyun shook her head at him, picking the next bag.

"Yunho!"

Yunho hooted in victory, pausing in front of Seohyun for a second before spreading his arms, and Seohyun gladly hugged him, laughing because she barely reached his shoulders.

"Glad you're back, you dwarf."

"Thanks, you giant puppy," Seohyun shook her head, breaking the hug and handing him the bag. Yunho eyed her before fishing out a long box, unwrapping it.

Seohyun watched as his mouth opened in surprise, and he looked at Seohyun, then back at the boys, then back at her.

"What is it?" Wooyoung asked, "Don't make me get up now-"

"How did you get your hands on this!" Yunho laughed out loud, taking out a wand from the box, "This is Harry's wand, right?"

"Harry's wand!" Mingi wowed, and Hongjoong shook his head, "Isn't this too much! When did you get the time!"

"Actually, this wasn't a Christmas gift," Seohyun admitted, and Yunho looked at her in surprise, "You remember when we talked about Harry Potter all day in school when I was... alive? Before becoming a ghost, I mean-"

"I do," Yunho shook his head, "You're still alive, you know."

Seohyun waved a hand in dismissal, "Anyways, one of mom's friends was in UK, and I had asked her to get me a wand from there, so I asked to bring another."

"I don't know- isn't this too much?" Yunho looked at her hesitantly, and Seohyun rolled her eyes, looking at San who was laughing silently.

"Shut up. Next!" Seohyun announced, ignoring Yunho and picking another bag. "Hongjoong!"

"When is my turn!" Wooyoung wailed loudly, Mingi joining, and Seohyun watched as the two started playing rock papers scissors to bet on who would be next.

"How did you even bring all these here," Hongjoong asked as he hugged her, long and good, "Wasn't it too much trouble?"

"It's okay," Seohyun rubbed his back before they broke apart, and Seohyun handed him the bag. "Here."

Hongjoong looked at her pointedly, "This looks the smallest."

"I can assure you, it was the most expensive-"

"Hey!" Hongjoong laughed, "I'm not opening this."

"Stop being so dramatic, we're waiting!" Wooyoung shouted, Mingi doubling over with laughter.

"I'll do the honours," Seohyun picked the box and tore the wrapper apart. "I had to."

Hongjoong almost dropped the box as he held it- it was headphones- but high quality ones- ones he wish he could have to make him hear the sound betters when he composed in his laptop. "Seohyun-"

"Don't-"

"How can I accept this!"

"You know I could get you better things- my mom's loaded. She was all too glad when I told her that you were the guys I was buying gifts for. Please, Hongjoong, it's not much."

Hongjoong shook his head, "I know it's not much to you, but to us, it is. I'd appreciate it if you don't spend money like that again-"

"Shut up," Seohyun shook her head, "It's my first time getting someone gifts. First time getting someone something meaningful, first time I actually put thought into all of this. First time I was excited. Please," Seohyun wrapped his hands in hers, "Accept it."

"You're gonna make me cry now," Hongjoong laughed, bringing her in for another hug. "Thank you. I won't forget this."

"Thank you for accepting," Seohyun laughed, and Hongjoong went back, flaunting his headphones as he examined them.

"Okay, Mingi, you're next."

Mingi almost fell as he got up in victory, waving his butt at Wooyoung and earning a smack, skipping as he came to Seohyun and hugged her dramatically, picking her and actually making her scream-

"Drop me, you giant!" Seohyun slapped his arms repeatedly, and he finally dropped her, pretending she had hit her too hard. Seohyun slapped his arm again, finally smiling.

Mingi went to where his bag was- finding two boxes- his recent two favourite anime's action figurines.

"You remembered!"

"I also got you the recent volumes!" Seohyun fished out another bag from under the table and Mingi wowed, checking as if he couldn't believe it.

"You have good memory! When did I tell you which volumes I had?"

"Some time in school?" Seohyun smiled, "I didn't know what else to get you- I already gave you the drums, I could have waited till Christmas I guess-"

"Oh come on, they're yours-"

"They're yours now," Seohyun announced, and Yunho started clapping, "I mean, I'm a co-owner. Deal?"

"Deal," Mingi ruffled her hair, thanking her.

"Finally now, it's my time!" Wooyoung came singing, almost running to Seohyun as he crashed into her, spinning her and kissing her forehead, "I cannot tell you how happy I am that you are alive!"

"Even if I was dead," Seohyun began, "I feel like I wouldn't have been able to move on because of you-"

"Hush, now," Wooyoung shook his head, laughing. "Hey, mine is the lightest! Hongjoong!"

Hongjoong was too absorbed in his headphones to respond and San finally got up, telling Wooyoung to hurry up so they could have 'alone time'. Wooyoung unwrapped his gift-

"BTS' ALBUM!"

Seohyun flinched at how loud he was and San came to cover her ears as Wooyoung shouted in surprise and amazement, thanking Seohyun to which she nodded, still flinching as he ran around flaunting the album.

"You brought this upon yourself," San laughed, and Seohyun smiled as Wooyoung crushed her in another hug, thanking her again and again.

"You want me to take it back!"

"NO!"

"THEN SHUT UP!" Seohyun shouted as loudly as Wooyoung who only grinned.

"I knew there was something about you that I just had to make you friend-"

"Anddd that's enough," San slapped the back of Wooyoung's head, "Let's go to dinner after an hour, guys. Meanwhile, I'm stealing her."

With that, San put his arm on Seohyun's back, guiding her out as the boys 'ooh-ed', making her flush. Seohyun couldn't help but smile as San led her out of the warehouse, taking her at the backside where the boys had set up a small place with a tent and couches for when the weather was nice and they wanted to sit out.

"I wish we could go somewhere else, but I don't want to waste this hour," San said, leading her to the couches, pausing to look at her, his hands hesitant as he touched her face, "How have you been?"

"Oh please, it's not like we didn't call at nights the past two days- I'm fine, really."

San touched the scar at her temple, kissing it, making her flush deeper, "I'm glad to hear that."

Seohyun pushed San's chest, "You're being too... mushy."

"Mushy?" San raised an eyebrow, laughing as they sat on the couch, facing each other.

"You're sometimes too romantic for me to handle, you know that?" Seohyun folded her arms.

"I haven't even begun-"

"Exactly what I mean!" Seohyun shook her head, and San laughed, scooting closer.

"Tell me you missed me. Tell me you missed... us."

Seohyun bit her lip, scanning his face- the moonlight making his cheekbones appear sharper, his eyes dark.

"Can't say I didn't," Seohyun sighed, "Let me hug you first."

San brought her closer and she wrapped her arms around him, almost in his lap, her head resting on his chest as she sighed, melting in the embrace. "I definitely missed this. I could sleep right here-"

"Don't you think about sleeping now."

Seohyun smiled, burying her nose in his neck, inhaling the scent of him- it felt like nostalgia, like home. "I never thought I'd appreciate hugs one day- not being in contact for these two months really put me in my place."

San broke the hug, looking at her face, "I could tell. You got Jongho that bear- you know he doesn't really like skin-ship but watch him cling to that bear for the rest of his life. I realized then."

"You're right, I'm surprised you noticed," Seohyun admitted, "He and I are alike in that. I knew he'd love it. Oh, and also, I got you something, but it's not here yet."

"What did you get me?"

"Don't be too surprised when it comes," Seohyun grinned, "I wasn't too sure- yours was the hardest to think of, but it just happened-"

"Please, I'm curious now," San pouted, whining. "I won't be able to stop thinking now that you reminded me-"

Seohyun kissed him to shut him up, breaking apart to look at his reaction- satisfied to see his eyes wide in surprise and then narrow in challenge.

"I guess I could use a distraction. We do have an hour."

Seohyun laughed, kissing him properly this time, taking it slow- it was the first time they were properly kissing since she was back. San held her face delicately, letting her set the pace. Seohyun's hands were more urgent, running through his soft hair, caressing his face, his neck, roaming around his back and chest as they kissed lazily.

"Don't hold me like I'm gonna break, Choi San."

It was all San needed to hear- he kissed her with a force that got her arching back until her back hit the couch itself, and San broke apart to caress her face and draw her hair back.

"I love you, Seohyun. Merry Christmas."

"And I love you, you mountain," Seohyun smiled, "Now kiss me."

The rest of the hour went by as they kissed, murmured sweet nothings as they sat in each other's embrace, or just watched each other, hands caressing hands. The hour went by slow yet it felt like a flash once it was over and they were interrupted with Wooyoung shouting at them to come inside already.

Holding each other's hands, they went inside and sat with the boys to plan where to go for dinner. Yunho looked at the two and burst out laughing, Mingi joining him.

One by one, they all started laughing, leaving San and Seohyun who stared at them. Even Hongjoong and Seonghwa- the serious ones were laughing.

"Did you two only make out during that one hour?" Yeosang shook his head, "Look at how disheveled you both are."

San and Seohyun immediately looked down, but their clothes were straight, and their hair wasn't messed up-

It was only when all of them burst out laughing that the two realized this was a trick- and San covered his face as he laughed while Seohyun gaped at them, getting up in search of something- grabbing a small cushion and running forward to hit them-

"It was Yunho's idea, don't hit me!" Mingi wailed.

"You're still an accomplice," Seohyun laughed as she ran at all of them, hitting them once on their heads to 'get their brains to kick start'. "So what if we only made out? I'll ask you all when you finally have partners, you loners!"

-------------------

It was the first dinner Seohyun had with the boys since coming back to her normal life.

And it was chaotic, to say the least.

People had mistaken them for being a bunch of drunks one too many times, the way they were hollering with laughter and talking about ghosts as loudly as they could. But everything was okay- Seohyun hadn't felt happier in a while.

After a very lavish dinner, they all walked around the town, making fun of each other and playing, and before Seohyun could decide to leave for her home and bid everyone goodnight, Yeosang told her they had one last surprise for her at the warehouse before she went home.

"And why couldn't I get this surprise when we were back at the warehouse just a few hours ago?"

"You'll know why," Jongho teased, "Just come."

Seohyun rolled her eyes, secretly anticipating just what they had in store for her, and followed them to the warehouse.

"We'll be right back- stay here," Wooyoung said, dragging Jongho and Yeosang with him while the rest stood outside, waiting.

"Can I have a hint?" Seohyun folded her arms.

"Uh, nope." Hongjoong was firm.

"Is it something about a musical performance or a dance performance-"

"Can you calm down and wait?" Seonghwa laughed.

"Is this going to be a prank?" Seohyun raised her eyebrow.

"If it was a prank I would have been inside with them," Mingi raised his hand and Seohyun narrowed her eyes at him.

"Me too!" Yunho grinned, and Mingi and Yunho shared a look which set Seohyun pacing due to nervousness.

"Calm down," San laughed, his eyes full of adoration, "You'll love it. It's all I am allowed to say."

Seohyun pouted, eyeing the warehouse, not hearing anything at all. Another minute passed by which Seohyun had scratched near her fingernails out of nervousness when Wooyoung peeked out, giving a thumb up.

"Finally," Seohyun exhaled, and San took her hand in his as they walked inside.

They were greeted by the Siamese cat that Seohyun had gifted San, who finally named her Byeol. Yerim was their stray cat and Byeol was their pet cat, who loved staying inside the warehouse- her home.

Seohyun looked around. Everything was the same, except there was a projector now set up in front of the couches. "Are we watching a movie?"

"A short movie, you could say," Jongho took her other hand, leading her to the couch and making her sit in the middle, San sitting on one side and Yeosang on the other, and Wooyoung made sure everyone was sitting in front of the screen before he put the lights out, grinning as he sat on the floor mat in front of Seohyun. Seohyun playfully kicked his back, earning a slap to the leg.

"Okay, I'm starting it."

Yeosang clicked a button and there was static for a few seconds before music started to play- music she realized was from one of the samples she'd heard from Hongjoong. She raised her brow at him, and he just winked.

Seohyun went back to watching the screen, which went black and then a video clip started playing- she frowned as she realized where it was from- school.

"Hi," Wooyoung said, "I made a new friend today, but she's kind of scary so I don't know when I'll be able to get a proper vlog with her- ow!"

Seohyun smacked Wooyoung's head. The teacher was about to come in. Wooyoung hid the camera and Seohyun said, "I owe you one."

"You owe me nothing-"

"Should I tell the teacher what exactly you were doing?"

"Boomer," Wooyoung muttered.

Seohyun laughed out loud, "I never heard you call me a boomer!" She smacked the back of Wooyoung's head again, and he laughed out loud.

"This is exactly why you didn't hear me!" Wooyoung laughed, rubbing his head.

The clip changed and Seohyun recognized the scene again-

"I win," Yeosang smirked.

"Next game, come on."

Seohyun drew another blank page and the two restarted another game of tic tac toe. This time, Seohyun went first and she won. Seohyun put a line on her tally count.

"This will go on forever," Yunho, who was watching them, said, "Whenever Seohyun goes first, she wins. Whenever Yeosang goes first, he wins. You both have this figured out- why don't you just shake hands and accept the draw?"

"No."

Yunho laughed as the both had glared at him and said no in unison, flipping the page and starting another game. Mingi, who was filming, turned the camera to himself and shook his head.

"They're never gonna stop."

"We did stop," Yeosang laughed, "Only because the teacher came."

"So who won?" San asked.

Seohyun sighed, smiling, "We shook hands and accepted draw."

The scene changed again, and it was from when Seohyun had first seen the warehouse and revealed that she knew how to play the piano- apparently Jongho had caught her playing the melody that she remembered from Hongjoong. It followed by the clips of the truth and dare game they had that night- the one when Seohyun finally told the boys that she could see ghosts. Everyone had a good laugh over it and Seohyun felt nostalgic as she watched Hongjoong's Billie Jeans imitation and Yunho's golden retriever. Seohyun had stopped them from filming the ghost evidence back then.

The clips that followed were all... ghost evidence. The boys used to play games with Jiwoo- like cards, tic tac toe, or such games, and Seohyun watched with her mouth open in disbelief as the amount of 'evidence' clips passed.

"Good thing Jiwoo's not here- if she was, I would have personally seen her out of this realm."

San rubbed her arm, laughing, "You never stopped them from filming."

Seohyun just shook her head, smiling as the clips changed to a compilation of their last day with Jiwoo, of them playing in the water, playing games and just laughing and having a good time. Seohyun felt bittersweet at the memories.

"Now here starts the fun part," Wooyoung winked.

And sure enough, fun it was.

"It appears my definition of fun differs from yours," Seohyun flushed as she saw a compilation of clips of San and Seohyun being the most obvious couple- looking at each other adoringly, holding hands, talking, etc. "I feel exposed."

"This was my idea- to put these in," San admitted, grinning at her flushed self, "I knew you'd like it."

Seohyun rolled her eyes but smiled, and they all watched the various clips from their outings together, until-

"Oh," Seohyun realized why this gift from Yeosang was late.

The drums playing itself, the piano playing itself, food flying in the air, cushions being thrown- all Seohyun as a ghost, and she had to admit the direction of this movie was clever.

"I'm going to wait till the end credits to comment," Seohyun muttered, watching the day of her birthday, smiling because it really looked like they had filmed the whole thing.

Seohyun's grip on San's hand tightened when she saw the clip from the day at the hospital when she finally woke up- the 'creepy sight' Hongjoong had referred to and Wooyoung had filmed- the sight being San and Seohyun staring and smiling at each other, their foreheads joined.

"You really had to add this?" Seohyun kicked Wooyoung's back lightly, making everyone giggle.

"This is like the epilogue of the whole thing," Mingi said.

The video ended with a picture of the 8- which Jiwoo had clicked on the beach. The end credits rolled, crediting everyone except Seohyun- even Jiwoo.

"Come on, I must have made at least one of the videos or pictures there-"

"In case you haven't noticed, you barely use your phone," Yunho retorted, and Seohyun pouted.

"So," Wooyoung turned, "What do you think?"

Seohyun couldn't stop herself from smiling, looking up as she felt her eyes burn, and the boys started chanting "DON'T CRY", making her laugh harder.

"This really is a gift from all of you- the memories, though I think I should thank Yeosang first," Seohyun smiled at him, taking his hand, "Thank you. You didn't have to waste your time on this."

"It wasn't a waste of time," Yeosang shook his head, "I had this idea when you were still... a ghost. So instead of making it bleaky with only ghost memories, I decided to do something like this. Wooyoung helped me a lot too."

"You all make me cry too much," Seohyun wiped the corners of her eyes, "I was never this emotional-"

"Oh please," Seonghwa shook his head, "If we had a clip from every time that you cried-"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Seohyun laughed, "Thank you, all of you. This, us here right now, is the greatest Christmas gift I could have from anyone of you-"

"Now don't go being all sentimental on us, Seohyun-"

"Ugh, you guys don't let me breathe!" Seohyun glared at Jongho, who was doubling over with Mingi, "I'm saying it again, and you all better not interrupt. I really love you guys. It's been a great few months, despite the bad things that happened. I wouldn't have made it back without you guys. Thank you for everything."

They all smiled, Seohyun taking time to make eye contact with everyone.

"Thank you for sticking with us, I guess," Seonghwa grinned.

Wooyoung nodded. "I know we can be a loud bunch-"

"You don't say," Seohyun muttered.

"See, you interrupt us too when we're all sentimental!" Wooyoung turned to glare at her.

"Hey, who's idea was it to befriend me again?" Seohyun shrugged, "You brought this upon yourself-"

"It was because we thought a girl in our group would so us good! If I had known you talked and sat like a guy-"

Wooyoung shut up when Seohyun kicked his back, harder this time, making everyone howl with laughter at the two of them bickering.

"Hey, she can be girly when she wants to be-"

"You're not helping, San!"

"It's imitation time, Yunho!" Yeosang called his attention and Yunho bowed, getting up and preparing himself to act like Seohyun.

He walked a few feet away, rolling his sleeves up, which already had the boys laughing, stealing Hongjoong's cap so he could complete the 'Seohyun' look.

"So here's how she walks-" Yunho hunched his shoulders a bit, his eyes darting here and there as he walked with light steps- a habit Seohyun had to make as less of a sound while walking as she could.

"It's because I look out for ghosts!" Seohyun folded her arms, slumping back as the boys laughed at the near perfect imitation, almost howling when Yunho slumped in the chair, sighing, legs apart but feet together, arms folded.

"That's perfect," Yeosang managed to say between laughter. Seohyun clenched her jaw, trying not to laugh.

"I feel exposed..."

"But that's how you really are like, baby," San scoffed.

"I could have been like one of those girls who's always walking like a model, sitting like this-" She tried mimicking those formal sitting positions, "And has her lashes fluttering every second, and is always worried about how she looks."

"See, I knew you'd fit in well with us," Wooyoung grinned, and Seohyun threw a pillow at him as San and Wooyoung started to bicker about Seohyun.

Seohyun smiled as she pet the cat that was now in her lap, looking around at the boys, all smiles and laughter, no worries. Yeosang noticed her expressions and raised his brows.

Seohyun smiled.

"This really does feel like home."

--------------------

Thank you for reading and supporting! <3

[cottoncandyjester]

Sweetness (yandere tamaki x reader x yandere mirio )

Just ate a slice of strawberry shortcake, and of course this idea popped into my brain. I feel like yandere mirio and yandere tamaki are ruthless when they are horny.

Warning: this story contains improper use of whip cream, dom reader..kinda?, needy boys, tit fucking, in protected sex, table abuse

A soft gasp escaped you as mirio licked the whip cream off your bare stomach, a soft muffled groan escaping him as he felt your foot press against his bulge in his pants, you were also keeping him away from kissing your delectable lips which was making his head spin.

"come on, I barley get any alone time with you since tamaki always steals your attention so let me have this"

His plea made you simply scoff as you sat up from the kitchen table, you were supposed to be baking a cake but mirio very quickly distracted you, with tamaki still on patrol mirio decided to take this moment to play with you.

"[y/n]..if you start picking favorites I'll feel as if you don't love me"

"I have stuff to do togata, I can't entertain you"

You reached for your shirt that mirio had so rudely tossed off of you before in his haste to cover you in whip cream and taste you but before you could put it on mirio was hastily kissing your thighs hoping that his mouth would make you change your mind.

"no, don't go. Just let me taste you more okay? I promise you can go back to baking afterwards"

You looked down at the blonde who found himself settled in between your legs, dn you for deciding to wear shorts today. It took less than a second for mirio to throw those shorts and your underwear right off.

You scowled lightly before laying back on the table you honestly had very little control over mirio, when the two boys kidnapped you it was very easy to manipulate them and control them but mirio had always been far more rebellious than tamaki

"fine togata, but hurry up and you better make me cum"

Mirio perked up and resembled a giddy kid as he stared at your tasty cunt just waiting for him to devour but a thought popped into his head. He got up and grabbed the can of whip cream you two were playing with before, he couldnt help but grin as he once again sat in between your legs now spraying the white cream along your thighs and let the sweet treat coat your most sensitive part.

"c-cold togata!"

"ah it's fine, my tongue will warm you up"

Before you can protest a moan escaped you as mirio frantically licked and sucked the whip cream off you now palming himself from his jeans as he ate you out like a man who hasn't eaten in months.

"ngh- togata you're going too fast- slow down"

"hah, no way! It's been too long since you let me taste you, that's not very fair since I know tamaki gets to suck your nipples everynight before bed"

The male's tone became annoyed as he licked your now drooling slit before a door opening sound made him smirk. Mirio stood up and threw your legs over his shoulders as he now aggressively slurped and ate you out making sure you gasped and squealed from the sudden force.

"god, baby you're so delicious! I could eat you like this everyday!"

"ahh! I'm gonna cum if you keep being so rough!"

Tamaki froze as he entered the kitchen and saw the scene laid out infront of him, mirio pleasuring you to the point of tears brimming in yours eyes and mirio giving him such a glare that it made anger bubble in his stomach.

"i-i thought you were sick mirio, that's what you said to skip patrol. So you lied?"

Mirio softly pulled back from you only to lick his lips and he eyed tamaki who was in his hero outfit. He gave an innocent grin to tamki whose eyes were glued to you and watching you try to catch your breath

"well someone have to take care of the baby! Figured it would be me, they weren't complaining a minute ago"

Tamaki walked over to you and placed a soft and sudden kiss on your lips before he pulled back and sat you up now wanting a turn with you since it was only fair.

"bunny, I've missed you all day. Don't I get a turn?"

He didn't even wait for your response before he started to take off his hero costume but he stopped when his eyes landed on your breasts, his favorite part of your body. Without thinking tamaki moved ontop of you his face nuzzled in between your chest before he started to lock and suck on your tender nipples.

Mirio couldn't help but laugh as he watched before he once again started to lick your sopping wet pussy, he didnt mind sharing after all just as long as he got a piece as well

"you already tearing up tamaki? You always cry when you're horny"

"s-shut up mirio, I can't help it"

You but your bottom lip as you arched your back slightly with a shaky sigh as your orgasm was quickly approaching. Without thinking you locked your legs around mirio's neck lightly earning a shocked moan from you

"someone's eager, heh gonna cum?"

"that's not fair I just got here-"

Mirio grinned before now sloppily eating you out making sure his tongue flicked your clit several times until he felt your climax and he grunted as he slurped up all your heavenly juices, the taste being just everything he wanted.

When he pulled back he simply stood up and gripped his cock through his pants before simply removing them exposing his thick and throbbing cock.

"t-togata don't you dare-"

His words were cut off by him sliding himself inside of you earning a loud gasp and moan from you, tamaki saw him and panicked now pulling his cock out as well and settling it between your breasts.

"n-no don't give him all your attention, bunny look at me. Look right into my eyes as I please you"

Tamaki softly grabbed your face between his hands now kissing you as his bucked his hips up fucking your beautiful tits. You pressed your chest closer together and against him making a shaky moan escaping him.

Mirio simply rocked his hips slamming it into you feeling the table shake as he fucked your poor cunt to oblivion, he was always so rough on you but he couldn't help it since you felt so good wrapped around his cock like this.

Mirio leaned forward kissing along tamaki's neck with a slight grin, the two could get affectionate to each other but mirio knew that tamaki was still upset with him.

"sorry for playing with them without you"

Tamaki let out a hushed moan before simply holding both mirio's hand as he bucked his hips more and more feeling nothing but bliss. The kitchen was filled with the sounds of various moans and grunts along with the creaking of the kitchen table from mirio's hardcore and violent thrusts as he fucked you mercilessly.

Your second climax was building up as the boys could feel themselves about to cum as well, mirio bit down on tamaki's neck as the smaller male let out a loud choked sob as he bucked his hips one last time cumming all over your face and tits.

Mirio was next now filling your delicious pussy with his thick load but he definitely wasn't expecting you to squirt though it was a sight he burned deep into his memory.

As the three of you tried to catch your breath mirio heard a low creaking and he scooped both you and tamaki over his shoulder just in time for the table to crash to the floor now officially broken.

"heh. Oops"

"togata, you idiot"

Mirio chuckled as your angry tone and simply walked towards the bathroom for you all to get washed up as you fumed about the now broken table.

[milazka]

Fifty shades of Pankow — Rudy Pankow

image found on pinterest

summary: the one where you watch fifty shades of grey with your boyfrend.

request: yes

content: fluff & smut

author’s note: it’s not my favourite one, i was not really in the mood to write smut, but i wanted to post something today so here it is! i hope you all still like it even if it’s short. you can find my masterlist at the end of this post if you feel like reading more of my stuff!

warnings: most of my stories may contain mature themes such as swearing, underage drinking, substance abuse, sexual language and scenes, fights and more. also, i do not intend to be offensive towards anyone who reads this blog, if anything written can be perceived as hurtful to any community  or person, i apologize, it was never my purpose while writing it.

word Count: 1305.

2020 was supposed to be your year. It was the year where your very first Netflix series was going to be released and the one you were supposed to move into a cozy apartment in Los Angeles with your boyfriend Rudy that you had met through the show. It was supposed to be a year to remember, but the global pandemic had turned everything upside down. Fortunately, you had made some wonderful friends on the set of Outer Banks so when the quarantine happened, you all decided to stay in your little apartments in the building where you all lived during the shooting of the show in Charleston. It was the best way to stay sane during this difficult time. So here you are, two weeks into quarantine, looking for a good movie on Netflix to watch with your lovely boyfriend. 

“What about Fight Club?” he proposes, remembering that you once said in an interview that you had the biggest crush on Brad Pitt.

“Nah, I’ve seen it to many times.”

“Okay, hmm, what about The good dinosaur?” 

“You want me to cry like a baby? If so, yes we can watch it, but bring me a lot of tissues,” he sighs and you chuckles when you see that he switch to the next movie on your list. 

“You have Fifty shades freed on your list?” he says looking at you with wide eyes and raised brows. “And you already watched it?!” 

“Yeah, I watched it with Maddie and Bailey,” you shrug. “Wanna watch it?” 

“Hell yeah!” he wiggles his eyebrows and you laugh, lying your head back on his comfortable chest. 

Rudy is lying on your bed, his back leaning against the headboard so you can settle in between his legs, your back pressed against his torso that rise and fall at a steady pace. Every time you listen to a movie together, he places you like this so he can hug you in his arms because God knows that man is a big fan of cuddles! His arms are embracing your waist covered by one of his band shirt and you can see, from the mirror in the corner of your room, that he has his eyes fixed on the screen when Anastasia takes off her bikini top. 

“Hmm, if you had done that when we went to Portugal, I don't think I would have controlled myself and fucked you straight on the beach,” his fingertips brush your soft skin, covering it with goose bumps while he whispers to your ear with his raspy voice.

You can't help but blush when Christian takes Ana against the shower wall and Rudy's body stiffens beneath you, his hands now wandering under your sweater, drawing shapes on your bare stomach. Rudy being Rudy, he's not wearing a sweater and you can feel his warm skin against your back when he lifts your t-shirt up a little bit. He cups your breast with his big hands, pinching your nipples between his thumb and index until he makes them hard. His right hand slowly goes down to the hem of your black shorts, playing with it. Your breath hitch when you feel his hand sliding in your short and rest on top of your clothed heat.

“Want me to stop, baby?” he whispers to your ear, his warm breath crashing against your neck.

“God no, please… I need you,” 

You can feel him smirk on your neck as he drops open mouth kisses on your burning skin. He starts teasing you with his fingers, rubbing them against your already damp panties. Rudy loves to tease you until you beg him to do something and you know that if you don't ask him to please your burning core with his fingers, he won't. 

“Baby, I need your fingers now,” you beg him. “Your wish are my command, pretty girl,” he smirks, the sight of you imploring him turning him on in no time. He brings his fingers to your mouth and makes you suck them before finally sliding one finger between your dripping folds. A soft moan escape your mouth at the so desired contact and you drop your head on his shoulder, tilting it to the side so he can see your face while he pleases you. He presses his thumb against your clit, rubbing it in figure eight shapes. Electric jolts are sent through your body when he slips one of his finger inside you and you can’t manage to keep moans of his name inside your mouth. The feeling of your wetness glistening on his fingers and your inner thighs makes him grunts and he can feel his cock getting tight in his black boxer. 

“You take my fingers so well,” Rudy praises you when he pushes a second finger into you, his thumb still working on your little ball of nerves. He increases his pace while sucking and biting the skin of your neck. A warm feeling builds up in your stomach and your breath hitch, making him apply more pressure on your clit. 

“Are you gonna cum for me, pretty girl?” he asks, his fingers disappearing in you at a high pace. You only moan as a response and feel the wave of pleasure running your body from head to toe, your nails lightly scratching Rudy's thighs under the warm and overwhelming feeling. You haven't even come down from your high yet that he's grabbing you by the waist and makes you straddle his lap, on of his hand firmly pressed on the back of your neck. His lips take possession of yours in a fiery kiss and you steady yourself by grabbing his muscled shoulders. He keeps kissing you, his tongue slipping between your soft lips that taste like peaches. Rudy pins you down on the mattress and lays above you, grinding against your sensitive core. The feeling of his clothed cock hitting you still sensitive clit makes you whine. You can feel his hard bulge pressing against your warmth so you do not wait any longer and slip your hand inside his boxer. You give his cock a few strokes before he takes off his boxer and strip you out of your damped panties from your previous orgasm. 

“Ready to take Rudy Jr, baby?” he asks you, lining his hard cock up with your entrance.

“Fuck yes,” you whine and he easily slides into your already stretch walls. Every moan that you let out against his lips make him trust deeper into you, hitting a sensitive spot that makes you see stars. He praises you among the moans, telling you how much he likes to see you taking his cock so well.  

“I’m close,” he grunts, resting one of your leg on his shoulder. The change of position makes him reach your g-spot which switch your moans to little screams of his name that turn in him on even more. You dig your nails into his biceps as little waves of pleasure spread inside your body when he starts to rub your clit with two fingers. You reach your climax, seeing white for a few seconds and clenching hard around him as he releases his cum inside you, moaning your name.

Rudy lays down besides you, covering both of your body with a blue blanket. You wrap your arms around him, resting your head on his still fast-rising torso. He kisses the top of your head and intertwine your fingers. Sex with Rudy is amazing and so is the after sex. He always likes to hold you in his arms as you slowly drift to sleep, serotonin flowing trough your veins.

“I love you, pretty girl. You’re the best thing that happened to me this year,” you smile and kiss him tenderly. “Uno reverse card, lover boy.”

─── °• ❀ ───

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[withoneheadlight]

Kinda want to make us happen (so stop smiling at me like that)

"Okay. What would you go for, then?"

"I don't know. Johansson, maybe? I like that one" says Steve, thoughtful, dropping down next to Billy, his back against the boiling side of the Camaro" Ooor-oh! Williamson! That one sounds good. Steve Williamson. What do you think?"

"Weird." Billy taps his cigarette butt with his thumb, blowing the ash, "I think it sounds weird. And I don't know why you want to change it, if all of those rhyme with the one you already have”

Steve rolls his eyes. The screams from the pool come gusty, like the wind that has risen from the east. The kids are already more than fifteen minutes late.

"Let's see. You try. I'm sure you'll have a knack for it"

Billy should get mad about his haughty tone, but what he feels instead is that tone describing a line that travels straight down from the hollow of his throat to just below his navel. The wind has extinguished his cigarette when he brings it to his lips. He throws it. Steals Steve's.

"Hey!"

"I don't know" he hits a puff, pretends to ignore him "I like the one you have. Sounds good. Ha-rring-ton. HaaaarringTON ”

"You only like it because you use it to harass me"

Billy can't help but smile. Wide. Cheeky.

"Maybe"

Billy shouldn't know about this last name thing. It's not like he and Steve have anything remotely close to that kind of familiarity. They are not friends or anything. Most of the time Billy only gets to see him like this, in passing. An almost daily coincidence. On days like today, waiting for the kids around a cigarette. On the days Steve stops by the gas station during Billy's shift to refuel the BMW. When he sees him in the distance, walking by, like those people you see only in the movies. Sunglasses on. White, pristine Nikes, a smile more expensive than all the money Billy will ever have in his hands. Million-dollar Steve Harrington, with his million-dollar smile. Completely unattainable for someone like Billy.

Because, that’s it, people like Steve Harrington happen to people like Billy Hargrove only in passing. And he knows, he knows, but he can't help but force those coincidences a little sometimes, push them into happening, like dropping by the Mall to fetch an ice cream on the Scoops –even if it really does have the best stuff in town–, accidentally catching a conversation ("Dingus. I vote for dingus. That’s your new last name" and "Thank you, Robin. I'm glad you're taking it so seriously" and "I take it seriously. Steve Dingus. Think about it"). And Billy is curious now. As he always is, inevitably, about all things regarding Steve Harrington.

"And why do you want to change it?"

 "I'm gonna-" Steve hesitates. Draws a long, curved line with his shoe, staining the tip with the dusty ocher dirt of the gravel "I'm gonna leave"

It's a curious thing. One moment it feels like there's plenty of air filling your lungs, and the next, you have nothing.

"From Hawkins?"

"Eh? No. No” Steve takes a deep breath, “Only from my parent’s house”

Billy doesn't know if when your heart skips a beat you can ever get it back, but if not, Steve Harrington owes him this one.

But he sounds cool, perfectly collected when he speaks again. A long, hard-learned ability.

"And the last name thing?" 

“My father– He's always saying this shit,” he sighs, makes his voice even more serious, rounds it in an exaggerated imitation of his father “This –You're not worthy to carry the Harrington name– shit. So."

Billy knows a lot about asshole fathers and never meeting impossible expectations. If he could, he would erase every trace of Neil off himself, even if he's not sure how much would be left after that.

"Yeah"

He hands him the cigarette and Steve accepts it with a small smile.

 "It will cost me almost everything I have. But, you know, is worth it"

Billy frowns.

"Don't you have like, a shitload of money?" 

"Not if I leave" Steve shrugs, turns his head in the direction of the pool, throat working "If you leave casa Harrington, you leave casa Harrington for good. No car, no inheritance, no nothing. We’re not– in the best terms right now. My father and I" 

Billy wants to know about that too–he wants to know everything– but it seems like too much to ask. 

Steve's head lulls down. The wind picks up momentum over the curve of his back, ruffles his hair in a whirlpool. He puffs on the cigarette.

It's the closest Billy is ever going to get to his lips.

"Well, welcome then, to bottom of the bottom of the social scale.  I’m sure you’re gonna enjoy yourself down here, surrounded by the poor and the unprivileged “

He means it as a joke, but realizes he has screwed up the moment the words leave his lips. Steve’s face twists into something sad and ashamed and Billy is a fucking asshole that needs to stop and think before opening his big, stupid mouth.  

"I guess so," he says, lips pressed thin. And God, Billy is like a fucking elephant, stepping on every delicate thing. He should know better than making it worst.

Fuck.

Because is not as he can’t imagine the reason why Steve wants to get away from Robert Harrington. Why he needs to stop being someone so small under such a large shadow. Because Steve it’s not like that. It’s not some selfish and self-centered prick. Steve is caring and protective and so, so good.

And Billy is totally gone for him.

"You can have mine" he says, and immediately wants to smack himself in the head because though you were gonna start thinking before speaking, Hargrove. 

Steve looks at him, curious and a bit confused. Billy inhales. Deep.

"Can what?"

"My last name" he says, because Steve is looking at him intently, and there’s nothing he can do now "I hate it. You can have it if you want”

And Jesus, he feels so stupid right now. It’s like he can’t control his fucking mouth when he's around Steve, like he’s still seventeen and trying so hard to impress him.  Fishes inside his back pocket for the pack of cigarettes. He can see Steve’s smile growing in the corner of his eye.  And ok. That’s ok. Billy is a big-mouthed asshole. But Steve is smiling now, so ok.

At least he made it better.

"I don't think Steve Hargrove sounds very cool either, truth be told"

But it does. It does. And Billy is turning red, warmth spreading through his face, burning on the tips of his ears.

"It’s better than Johansson"

"That’s true" He does this thing he does sometimes, this thing of fixing his eyes on Billy and instantly looking away, elusive, and Billy's body tightens as if ready to hunt him down, thrumming with the blind impulse of reach after him. In this distance, he can see all the moles that dot his skin, delicate and beautiful, the long to touch them hurts at his fingertips.

"How are you going to do it?"

 “No fucking idea,” he shrugs. “I guess I can stay at Dustin's for a few days and try to come up with something from there. I don't really have anything planned. I just want–". He doesn't say it, like he’s not able to find the words. Like it’s less formed thought and more feeling.  But there’s no need because Billy knows them all. He has an interminable list of them. It starts with freedom, with independence, with never again.  He yelled them all at his father when he got away last year. Max is the only reason he hasn’t flown from Hawkins yet. 

Well, not the only reason. Just the only that’s not a fucking dream.

“No fucking idea” Steve repeats like an echo, huffs a laugh that comes out ragged. Nervous. Like he’s caught up in that thought. How are you gonna do it?.

And Billy is an adult now. Shouldn’t be losing his self-control around a boy like this anymore. Even if that boy is Steve Harrington. Should be able to stop his fucking mouth for fuck’s sake.

But he asks, anyway.

 "Wanna crash at my place?"

“Uh?”

Steve’s brow furrows. Most days it ain’t easy to tell apart the color of his eyes, irises so dark they mix with the pupils, but the sun is sinking low now, golden light brightening them lighter, a soft shade of brown. Billy tries not to think about how impossible he is, how out of reach even like this, so close to him, side to side, their bodies brushing. 

"While you figure it out, I mean. Or, you know, I could use a roommate, share the rent, once you regain some money, I mean”

It's a stupid offer and he knows it, because people like Steve Harrington never really happen to people like Billy Hargrove, only like this, the luck to steal a few moments, a coincidence.

"Really?" Steve asks with something completely, disarmingly unexpected. Something like hope.

He gets up, looks at Billy like he’s trying to decipher something.

"No. Not really. Didn't you just hear me, Harrington?” He says, uses his best unrepentant asshole tone. Lights another cigarette “I'm wasn't by any means inviting you or something"

And Steve smiles smiles smiles. And Billy has never-ever wanted to kiss someone so much, and for so long, and be able to hold himself back.

"Jesus, Hargrove" Steve breathes out a laugh, and he's beaming, and Billy doesn't have the slightest idea how he managed to do that "Is there anything you are not willing to give me?"

And he’s kidding, of course he is, but the words hit like a blow, straight to his solar plexus and Billy is not fast enough, he wasn’t prepared. So when he lowers his head, he’s sure Steve has seen it all, right there in his eyes.

 Everything.

He lights the cigarette, fills his lungs till he feels them burning. 

"You take it or what?"

"I take it" he says. Low and soft like it is something intended only for Billy to hear "And, you’re right, by the way”

“Uh?”

 “It sounds better the more I think about it"

   (This is how it goes:

Steve never gets to change it.

He moves in with Billy. Needs the money because (“No, no, no. You’re not gonna pay for all our food ¿You want me to die of embarrassment? Wait. Wait. Don’t answer that") so he postpones it because, there's no rush, really (“And you keep calling me HAAaarrrrington, so feels a bit like a waste”) it was one those in-the-heat-of-the-moment kind of decisions anyway so (“No. It was no childish. You’re an asshole. Ok, well. Yeah. That I can accept. It was not the most practical) it ends up on undefined hiatus.

And then they start joking about it. Billy calls him “Mr. Hargrove” (“Good morning, Mr. Hargrove” or “Wanna go to the movies tonight, Mr. Hargrove?” or “You forgot to do the dishes yesterday, Mr. Hargrove, that's five bucks to the forgotten-dishes jar, Mr. Hargrove”) and Steve uses his, when replies, in a fairly accurate impersonation (“You owe like, twenty dollars to that jar, Harrington. So you are not to speak”) and keeps on using it against him on a regular basis (“Gosh, Harrington, you're such softie. And think that you used to be such a hard-ass on High School” every time Max convinces him to take her shopping).

And, truth be told, Steve never hated it that much. Kind of loves it, now that his father hasn’t power over him anymore, now that it's Billy who uses it, rides the letters like a wave, HarrignTON, piling up the syllables like in a roller coaster. When he says,

“I’m glad you’re here with me, Harrington” falling asleep against his shoulder on the couch.

When he says,

“I miss you, Harrington. This is so boring without you” that time Steve took the kids on a camping trip for a whole week.

When he says,

“I can’t stop myself from kissing you anymore, Harrington. So this is your chance to step away”

They hyphenate, at the end.

There are a lot of Hs and Rs and Gs, that they share, and Steve wants them all.

They toss a coin in the air.

“Are you sure you haven’t cheated, pretty boy? You look too smug to not be lying”

“Why would I? But we can switch, if you want to”

“Nah, I think it sounds pretty good, actually” Billy says. Kisses him “Better the more I think about it”)

[possiamo-andare]

No More Divisions - Chapter Nine: Love

JJ x Original Character

MASTERLIST

I don't know of y'all are ready for this one...

~

When I saw Ward, I felt like we were losing all over again. We had gotten a taste of victory with helping John B. escape the clutches of Deputy Shoupe but now, it felt like it was for nothing. I thought back to JJ's questions; would things ever be easier? I doubted it even more now. Things would never be normal as long as Shoupe thought John B. was guilty. We gave him evidence and still, he is more than ready to get a murderer to help him.

JJ was the first to speak up. We had all been in a state of shock, that none of had spoken up yet. Ward was already beside Shoupe and near the radio connected to the boat John B. was on by the time any of us said anything.

"You've got to be kidding me?!"

I was next. "You're crazy dude."

The fed glared at me. "My name is Agent Bratcher."

I shrugged. "I'll just call you fed."

Pope stepped forward, moving to JJ's side. "I'm sure Ward won't completely fuck up the situation entirely." His sarcasm travelled through the entire tent. his was one of the first times seeing Pope so strong in his convictions I almost wanted to laugh.

Shoupe rolled his eyes. I swear, I could punch him right now. "He's Sarah's father. If anyone can convince Sarah to turn the boat around, it's her father."

This time I moved forward, glaring at Ward the entire time. "Sure, that might work. If it wasn't for the fact Sarah hates her father, dude."

Ward looked hurt by those words, as if he could not fathom the idea of Sarah not liking him after all that he has done to John B. and his family. "Callie, I'm her father."

I turned to him, angrily looking him up and down. "I don't see a father. I see a weak excuse of a man."

JJ and Pope both cackled behind me as I said this. I looked to JJ would seemed proud. I don't exactly know why he was proud because I was being completely rude to Ward, but I'm guessing it was because Ward deserved it. Also, JJ loved this type of stuff. I'm sure if I ever started fighting someone, he would be cheering me on as Kiara tried to pull me off whoever the poor soul was.

"Stop that right now!" I fed yelled at us, specifically glaring at me. "If you won't help us, then Ward is more than happy to."

Kiara now spoke, "Okay. We''l just watch your plan fail."

The fed and Shoupe waved us away from the station where the radio was but we stayed put, wanting to see this complete massacre with our own eyes.

I took a step back, standing beside JJ again. I looked at him and he was already looking at me. I smiled at him and grabbed his hand. He squeezed it tightly. Then I remembered something. "You had to tell me something before. What was it?"

JJ's eyes widened for a moment then looked away. "Oh nothing. It sounds stupid now."

I nudged his arm with my shoulder. "C'mon, nothing you say is stupid. What's up?"

JJ sighed, looking to the ground and then back to me. "I was gonna say that when this thing is over, we should probably go out."

I smiled. "Go out where?" For all the teasing he ever did to me, it was my turn.

JJ blushed. I repeat, he blushed. What was up with this guy? "Maybe for dinner or something?"

"With Kiara and Pope?" Now I was purposely being annoying just because I loved to see him struggle.

JJ caught on pretty quick and chuckled at me once he realized. "Never-mind. I hate you again."

I quietly gasped, looked to Ward setting the radio to the right frequency, and then looked back to JJ. "You hated me?"

JJ smirked and nodded. "Yeah. If you didn't know, you're a Kook."

"Do you hate me now?" I lean forward, my lips inches from his.

He looks down at our lips. "No..."

We were about to kiss but,just as our lips were about to touch, Ward yells out.

"SARAH!"

We all look to him. Shoupe is standing in front of him as the fed watches our reactions. I think for a moment they are listening but when no one responds, I sigh. I hope they don't answer. I hope they can get out. I hope they don't turn around.

Then, Ward yells again, this time for John B. "JOHN B.!"

There's a moment of silence. Then, over the radio, we all hear the sound of waves crashing. My breath hitches in my throat and JJ squeezes my hand tighter. He makes no sound but I can tell he is just as nervous as me, maybe even more.

Ward, confident they're listening, speaks again, "John B, I know you are there, son. I know you can hear me," He takes a deep breath. "and if you love my daughter like I think you love my daughter, then you will turn that boat around and come back."

I shake my head. No, he's playing on his love for Sarah.

Please John B. don't listen to him. He's a murderer. He's evil.

There's still no response but we all know he's listening. So is Sarah. We know they are listening to every word and maybe even contemplating on turn back around. I hope to god they are not but Ward is acting so rational he almost doesn't seem like a killer. Almost. There still is something in his voice that I can tell in a little bit of venom directed at John B. He knows that either way, he is getting out of this situation a free man. If John B. returns, they will arrest him for a crime Rafe committed and if he doesn't, Sarah leaves too and then it's my word against one of the richest men in OBX. I doubt my parents will side with me knowing that friends I have now. Either way, we are losing and Ward is winning again.

Ward speaks again. "You are going into a storm that you cannot survive. John B, please, I will make it right. I promise you. Come back."

This makes my blood boil. Ward was the one that messed everything up in the first place. Him and his deranged son.

"No! John B.! He's a liar!" I scream rushing forward and trying to grab a hold of Ward's radio. Two officers grab a hold of both of my arms and drag me away.

"Let go of her!" JJ screams, jumping onto one of the officers.

I'm kicking and screaming and JJ in fighting one of them as Pope and Kiara fight the other. More officers come and hold all of them back. I'm hysterical. I'm screaming as loud as I can for John B. and Sarah. They can't come back. If they come back, everything we have done, everything we have sacrificed, was for nothing.

Just as the officers start to drag us out of the tent, Shoupe yells at them. "Let them stay," He smirks at me, happy to see that I'm crying. "They are gonna hear this."

We are brought back to where we originally were and now, officers are holding us down as we listen to Ward talk. I want to cover my ears but the officers are holding my hands behind my back.

"John B, I am begging you. Think of her and turn around." Ward finishes, looking at me finally. No one else can see it but I can. He's smirking. It's very faint but I can still see it. He thinks he's won.

We all wait for a response. At first, I think maybe it was the wrong frequency all along and maybe they heard nothing. Then, the radio turns on and we can hear heavy breathing along with the sound of the storm behind it. I know it's John B., and so does JJ, Kiara and Pope. I look at the, They are all thinking the same thing; he's pissed.

"Ward Cameron, do you hear me?"

JJ lets out a sigh. He's there and he's been listening to everything. I want to yell again but I can't; my throat burns from all the yelling.

Ward smiles and gives Shoupe a thumbs up. "Yes. Yes, son, I'm right here. I'm right here. Please bring her back, okay? We'll work it all out when you get home."

I hang up head. No, please don't listen to him.

Then John B. speaks again. " You killed my father, and you framed me for a murder I didn't commit."

I look back up, surprised. John B. doesn't believe him. He's not turning back. Thank god.

Ward looks to the fed, confused. He's still playing the part of the confused and concerned father. The fed isn't looking at him though, he's looking at me. His face is filled with surprise. He raises his brows at me and all I do is nod. I'm wondering if he truly believes me now?

John B. speaks again. "You took everything from me!"

I can hear the anger from through the radio. I'm almost scared for Ward. He looks actually concerned now, he's not playing a part anymore.

I look to JJ. He's being held back by the officers but when I look at him, he's pale. I know why. When John B. comes back to OBX, he will kill Ward.

John B. yells again. "You took everything from me!" I try to imagine John B. and Sarah on that boat going into the storm. My heart drops. Please let them make it. "But I'm still here. And I swear to God, Ward, I will come back one day and take back what's mine."

Ward's brows are pushed together. He's shaking and I can see sweat form on his forehead. He knows John B. is serious and now he's scared. I would be too. In one last ditch effort to calm John B., he tries to speak again but it's too late. John B. is holding down the button so Ward can't speak.

"So, you listen to me, all right? I'm comin' for you. I'm coming for you."

And then the radio is silent. John B. and Sarah are done talking.

Shoupe looks at us, his face as white as snow. I guess he's not smirking any longer. He looks at me and now I'm the one smirking. They are gone. He knows they'll never catch him.

"Told you." I say bitterly, smiling at Shoupe.

"Get them away from my sight." growls Shoupe.

The officer start dragging us away and Shoupe and the fed start whispering to each other. The officer that is holding me is talking to the officer that is holding JJ and I see this as my last opportunity to speak to Sarah. I have come to terms I might never see her again and I just want to say one last thing. So, the second I see that the officer is distracted I loosen my grip on him and run to the radio. Ward is no longer there anymore and no one is guarding it. I am running so fast my legs are burning but I move quickly and dodge the grasp of the officer that was holding me before. I grab the radio as fast as I can and press the button to speak. I see the fed, Shoupe and the officer running towards me so I know I have to speak quickly.

I say the only thing that matters. "I love you Sarah. We aren't divided."

I say this because when Sarah first started dating John B., I had been focused too much on the fact he was a Pogue and she was a Kook and it wouldn't work out. She had told me that those divisions didn't matter. Love is love. There should be no more divisions when it came to love. I hope she gets my reference.

Seconds later, the officer grabs onto me and slaps the radio out of my hand. He's dragging me away again but I don't fight. I said what I needed to say. I don't expect her to say anything else but I just wanted to say goodbye.

As I am getting dragged away, I hear a voice come from the radio. The person is crying but I can tell they are happy because they are laughing through the tears. "You're golden Callie. There's no more divisions."

I'm full on bawling now but I don't care. I will miss her so much but I know I wouldn't change anything that has happened. I found JJ and she I had the best ten years with the best friend anyone could ask for.

The officer drags me to the second tent and I get wet because it is raining outside. When I'm in the second tent, I'm surrounded by JJ and Kiara and Pope. They're all asking me what she said, what it meant and I try to tell them everything. I can see my parents in the background but I ignore them for now. I need to talk to my family.

JJ hugs me and cups my face in his hands. He's wet too and the droplets from his hair are dropping on my face. "That was so stupid. Why'd you do that?"

I shrug. "I don't know."

But I do know. Because Sarah is right. When you love someone, there should be no more divisions.

[sweetblink]

Nerf Gun War.

Nerf Gun War.

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Ethan Choi x Reader.

Requested by: 2 Anons.

Ethan Choi x Reader having a nerf gun fight.

I love the Atwater storeis. He really needs som kind of loving this season. Although I love my chexton, may I have request a ethan x reader with th continuation of the nerf fun fight. thank you in advance. 

Five times Ethan was attacked by Y/N, One time Ethan got Y/N back.

Warning: fluffy, playful relationship, a bit cursing. I wanted to try something new so I'm do this in 5+1 style.

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1.

Rounding down the corner, Y/N silently checked if the coast was clear, before doing a roll to hide behind the counter in the kitchen. Grabbing the nerf gun, that she had stuck on top of the small cabinet that held all the pots and pans, and silently made her way over to find her boyfriend.

Ethan was sitting on the couch watching TV, waiting for Y/N to wake up, he was about to take a drink of his coffee, when suddenly he heard. "ATTACK!" from the one and only Y/N, before attempting to hide from the nerf gun bullets.

"Y/N!" Ethan yelled as he dove for cover, he army crawled his way over getting his own nerf gun. Letting out a loud laugh he turned and began to fire off, he heard a small shriek. "You're not gonna get away with this!" he yelled.

You let out loud laugh. "That's what you say, but clearly I have the upperhand right now!" you yelled back. Giggling, you left to hide in one of the other cupboards to get more of your ammo, and grab another nerf gun.

"Can't hide from me, baby!" Ethan yelled. You just silently giggled. Surprsing him once more you popped out and began shooting at him and then took off to one of your other secret hiding places.

Ethan just laughed as he continued to look for you and hoping he can defeat you in the small war the both of you had started.

2.

Ethan let out a small sigh as he entered his apartment. Y/N had left early from her shift, so he came back home alone, he can smell the delicious food that was being cooked, and made his way towards the kitchen. "Babe?" he called out.

Y/N was hiding in her small secret compartment, she held two small nerf guns, and then held two more in her small holster, Y/N pressed an ear against the cupboard and heard Ethan's steps further away, so quietly she opened the small door, and got out, and began to crawl, she reached the corner of cabinet and checked in the coast was clear, suddenly she heard shuffling from the other side so she quickly rolled away.

"Babe!" Ethan called.

Y/N smiled and just as Ethan rounded the corner, you let out a giggle that can only be heard as an evil laugh. "Welcome home baby." you greeted as you began to shoot. Ethan quickly dove for cover and you can hear him laugh.

"One day Y/N, I'm gonna get you back." Ethan laughed as he got his own nerf gun and turned to begin shooting at you, you giggled and jumped out the way and rolled and took off running in hopes to hide somewhere and keep shooting him.

"Never!" You yelled back, giggling loudly, as the playful war continued.

3.

Y/N was currently smiling widely as she heard the shower turn off, standing by their bedroom door, she silently waited for him to get out, so she can once again ambush and defeat him, once and for all.

It's been weeks that the small nerf gun fight had begun and so far, Y/N's been winning. and honestly Ethan was starting to beging that Y/N is lowkey a spy.

Ethan began to dry his hair as he got out of the shower, and then wrapped another towel around his waist. Just as he had opened the door, Y/N began to laugh maically, and began shooting. "Holy shit, babe!" he yelled as he ran for cover.

"Surprie motha effer!" You yelled, laughing loudly.

Ethan checked under the bed, and found his nerf gun that he had hidden there, and waited to heard for when you began to reload, quickly standing up, he began to shoot, you looked up and quickly dove for cover and waited for him to run of ammo, checking if it was clear, you smiled when you notcied when saw Ethan in his naked glory.

"Well that's a delicous sight to see." You purred, Ethan smirked and looked towards where you were.

"Like what you see?" Ethan asked back. Giggling you nodded and began to round off your ammo, Ethan just chuckled and walked over to you. "Why don't we pause the game for a bit and have a little fun of your own." he asked huskily.

Abandoning your nerf gun you walked over to him, taking off his shirt to reveal nothing underneath, Ethan smirked and pulled you in for a kiss. "God, you're perfect." he muttered.

"I know I am." You replied. Ethan just chuckled and lifted you up and threw you on the bed.

4.

There was one time where the game was getting a little out of hand, and became a girls vs boys battle.

Ethan had invited the others over for a small dinner, to relax after such a high tensed day. There was a major crash that had happened and he had seen Y/N take off with the paremedics, on the helicopter, and hadn't seen her since they finished their shift.

"So Choi, how's the small nerf gun war with Y/N, going?" Will asked, smirking.

Rhodes also smirked and turned to Ethan, he let out a small sigh and shook his head. "I swear Y/N is either a spy, or has seen so many action movies, that would explain how she actually knows what's going on." Ethan explained.

"So she's winning?" Noah asked, chucklng a bit.

"I don't even know how she does it, she has secret hiding places everywhere, once she runs out of ammo in one gun she quickly disappears for a bit and comes out with more." Ethan said, refilling his drink.

Just as he was about to sip of his drink, and nerf dart hit his head and he quickly turned to hear Y/N's, Nat's April's and Sarah's giggling. "Babe!" he yelled. Just then all of then sudden all the guys were being attacked by the girls.

"Take cover!" Noah yelled as all the guys stood up and rushed to hide behind somewhere.

"Choi, where do you hide your stuff." Will asked, hiding behing the small couch.

Ethan looked around for his secret compartment, and lifted the rug up and grabbed the nerf guns he had hidden there. "Here." he said, passing them all the nerf guns. Noah grabbed one and began to move closer to where the girls were shooting.

"Fall back!" Ethan heard Y/N yell to the girls. He peeked out to make sure that the coast was clear.

"Alright, let's go." Ethan ordered. The guys all chuckled and decided to part to take out the girls.

This continued one for about three hours, and the final two standing were Ethan and Y/N. "Seriusly guys this was epic." Noah eagerly said as he wrapped an arm around his sister. The others laughed and nodded as they waited to see who would win, from the couple.

Y/N was rounding the corner when she noticed Ethan quickly reloading his ammo, smiling you finally began to shoot him, elminating him. cheering loudly, you attacked Ethan in a hug as he let out a loud groan when he saw that you had won.

"Are you sure you aren't a spy, baby?" Ethan asked.

You giggled and shook your head. "I swear I'm not, I just enjoy watching a lot of action movies."

Ethan just chuckled and stood up, his hands grabbed the back of your thighs and lifted you a bit more up as he gave you a piggy back ride back to the living room where the others were.

"So who won?" Sarah asked.

"Who run the world?" You asked.

April smirked. "Girls!" she yelled. You eagerly nodded and bounced over to them as you all began to celebrate. Ethan and the others just laughed and watched them all sing Beyonce's song.

5.

Y/N was sure that Ethan was upping his game, so that only meant that Y/N had to get smarter and a bit more faster than her boyfriend. Silently Y/N entered the apartment, making sure that no sound was made, she quickly dropped her bag, took off her coat, and scrubs.

Just as Y/N began to tip toe to where she knew she had her nerf guns hudden when she heard a small thud close by. Quickly she dove behind the couches, and quickly army crawled, letting out a small hiss when you felt a rug burn.

"Babe?" Ethan called. You smiled when you him at the kitchen, so quickly you made your way towards the hall, where you found a small camoflauge door and opened it. You managed to close the door, just in ime to hear Ethan walk by past you.

"Baby are you showering?" Ethan called out. Giggling silently, you grabbed your big nerf guns and grabbed enough ammo to reload, once you had everything ready, you left your small base, and silent tip toes towards the living room.

"I'm not showering!" You yelled, ducking bck down and reaiming your gun in sniper position, smiling you waitied for him to appear, but he took you by surprise when he began shooting, taking cover, you decided to wait till he used up all his ammo, or maybe even pause to take a chance.

Once he did pause, you quickly began shooting and ran towards another place to hide, you let out a loug giggle when you heard Ethan shoot right behind you and missed. "Hi babe, I'm home." you greeted as you dove for cover.

"Good day at work?" Ethan asked as he took cover since you began to shoot.

Giggling you nodded to yourself. "Yeah." you replied. "Are we some on Mr. and Mrs. Smith level now?" you teased.

You heard Ethan laugh from where you were hiding. "Yeah, I guess we can say that."

The both of you continued to challenge each other, until finally you shot Ethan down twice and cheered in victory. Ethan laughed and made his way over to you, jumping into his arms, you pulled him down and gave him a long steamy kiss.

"Hey there baby." You greeted once again, smiling up at him.

Ethan smirked. "The next round, I'm going to win, just watch." he promised.

You giggled and shrugged. "Bring it on Choi." you replied. Ethan just chuckled up and picked you up bridal style and took you the bedroom, all the way to the bedroom, you were just laughing and giggling and letting out occasional moans when Ethan decided to tease you a bit.

+1.

It was about a week later when you and Ethan decided to have one last battle, and you didn't even know. Ethan had been preparing for this attack. He woke up around 5:30 am, claiming that he wanted to go for a small workout, in the small gym in the apartment.

"No." You whined. "Stay."

Ethan just chuckled and got up, he leaned down and kiss your forhead. He was about to leave the room, when he looked back to the bed and noticed that you already wrapped yourself around the pllow he slept on and snuggled closer to his side of the bed, smiling he left the room and prepared his plan of attack.

He's decided that it was time to bring out the big guns, literally and figurtively. He walked towards his gym room and grabbed the biggest nerf guns he owned and grabbed two of them, and then grabbed another two small nerf guns and ammos.

It was about 9 am when Y/N finally woke up. She let out out a small whine and sat up, she let out a small shiver when she felt the coolness hit her bare chest, she searched for one of Ethan's shirt, and put it on. She trudded her way towards the kitchen to get a drink of water when suddenly nerf bullets began to fire off

"Ethan!" You shrieked, diving for cover. Ethan began to laugh and you just let out a small huff, crawling to your hiding spots, you checked if you had anymore nerf guns in there and you only found the small ones, grabbing them, you peeked to see if you can cover for yourself to make it to your other spots.

"Ready to give up babe? I know you didn't stock back up on your ammo and guns." Ethan teased.  

"Shut up, babe!" You yelled. Exhaling you quickly stood up and began shooting, quickly making your way to your next hideout, you can hear Ethan laugh while you struggled in not getting hit.

This went for about twenty minutes, not getting hit, until you sighed and took off Ethan's shirt to surrender. Ethan smiled and chuckled when you stood up, pouting. "Victory, is mine." he cheered.  

Rolling your eyes, you put his shirt back on and made your way over to him. "Yeah, yeah, well I've been winning the last games we've played so have you really won it all." you teased.

Ethan chuckled and pulled you closer to him. "Morning baby."

You smiled. "Well morning handsome, since you finally won head back to the room and I'll bring you breakfast."

"My my, if that was going to be my prize, I would've tried my hardest on winning." Ethan teased.

Pushing him away you laughed. "Just go to bed, I'll bring us breakfast." you told him.

"Fine." Ethan said he kissed you once more, and you left to make breakfast, later, he smiled when the both of you sat on bed and talked about possibly looking for a paintball range to upgrade from the nerf guns.

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I loved the nerf gun scene so much. :) 

Masterlist.